Victory for Chelyabinsk

On March 9, 1977, Traktor beat Dinamo Riga 4:2 to score the first medals in team’s history – bronze medals of the USSR hockey league. In memory of this momentous occasion, the black-and-white hit the ice, donning retro-styled jerseys. A bunch of team veterans who were involved in winning those medals were invited to this game, including Anatoly Kartayev, Nikolay Makarov, Mikhail Prirodin, Valery Ponomarev, Boris Molchanov, Vladimir Shabunin, and Nikolay Bets. Plus, during one of the commercials breaks, the fans got to hear the message from the then team’s head coach Anatoly Kostryukov who wished nothing but good to the city and Traktor.

Only two changes took place in Traktor's lineup compared to the last outing versus Jokerit. Denis Mosharov and Ilya Zinovyev were sent to Chelmet and replaced by Semyon Afonasyevsky and Artyom Kisly.

The first twenty was almost all Traktor. Three Artyoms – Sevankayev, Kisly and Borodkin – could have given hosts the lead, but something went wrong in the finishing sequences. Still, a 13:3 shots total speaks volumes about who dominated on the ice throughout the entirety of the first frame.

Visitors managed to get back on track in the second period, stinging the black-and-white with some sharp counters. This back-and-forth action ended when Traktor converted a PP chance for the first time in this season. Nikolay Belov, who, might we remind you, is a defenseman, stood closer to the opposing net than the team’s forwards and opened the score. The drought is finally over, but this was not it for power play goals in this game.

Dinamo tried their best to try and tie the game up, making themselves vulnerable to fast counterattacks of Traktor in the process. One of those counterattacks resulted in a Maxim Yakutsenya goal off of an accurate pass from Paul Szczechura. Two minutes later, Yakutsenya put together a masterpiece when he outplayed a Dinamo D-man and beat Sedlacek with a soft yet accurate shot between the goalie’s pads. Alexey Kruchinin had a chance to further increase the rift between the two teams but was denied by Sedlacek. Traktor makes a great gift to the Chelyabinsk faithful who were sent home happy.

Game details

TRAKTOR vs. DINAMO RIGA – 3:0 (0:0, 1:0, 2:0)
Goals: Belov (Mirnov, Yakutsenya), 37 (1:0 – PP goal); Yakutsenya (Szczechura), 50 (2:0); Yakutsenya (Koltsov), 52 (3:0 – PP goal).

Penalty shot: Kruchinin, 57 (denied by goalie).

TRAKTOR
Demchenko;
Koltsov – Belov, Mirnov – Sharov – Yakutsenya;
Denisov (A) – Borodkin, Kruchinin – Szczechura – Sevankayev;
Shinin (C) – Zhuldikov, Chernikov – Pestunov – Yuri Petrov;
Alexey Petrov, Afonasyevsky – Kisly – Penkovsky.

DINAMO
Sedlacek;
Jerofejevs – Mullen, Shugg – Schastlivy – M. Redlihs;
Cibulskis – K. Redlihs (A), Darzins – Sestito (A) – Indrasis;
Pujacs – Freibergs, Gillies – Pavlovs – Meija (C);
Zile, Saulietis – Bicevskis – Kulda, Razgals.

Shots on goal: 28 (13+9+6) – 21 (3+9+9).
Faceoffs won: 28 (9+14+5) – 24 (3+9+12).
Shots blocked: 9 (4+4+1) – 10 (2+5+3).
Hits: 18 (6+7+5) – 20 (7+4+9).
PIM: 4 (0+4+0) – 6 (0+4+2).
PP goals: 2-0.
TOI: Zhuldikov (21:22), Kruchinin (19:24), Belov (19:00) – K. Redlihs (22:07), Pujacs (20:16), Schastlivy (18:47).

Referees: Mikhail Buturlin, Peter Gebei (Hungary).
Linesmen: Alexander Otmakhov, Alexander Sysuyev.

September 11, 2016. Traktor Arena, Chelyabinsk, Russia. Attendance – 6000.