Rivalry for ages

After team’s lackluster performance in Omsk, Anvar Gatiyatulin decided to make changes to the lineup. For instance, Nikita Zhuldikov was benched and replaced by Danil Mamayev. The injured Alexei Kruchinin was replaced by Danil Gubarev, while Michal Birner and Igor Mirnov swapped the lines.

There were a lot of positive things to take away from Traktor’s performance in the first period. Magnitka responded with lacy attacks by Mozyakin and company; however, the black-and-white selflessly blocked most of his shots. Some four minutes before the horn, visitors acquired a power play opportunity and successfully capitalized on it. Alexei Petrov scored his rare goal off of a cross ice pass by Alexander Shinin. Officials quickly returned the favor by sending a Traktor player onto the sin bin, but somehow it led to another rarity – a shorthanded goal. Paul Szczechura outplayed Samsonov on a breakaway, once again proving himself to be a most effective acquisition of the preseason for Traktor.

Current Gagarin Cup holders made Traktor sweat early in the third. Multiple Metallurg attacks resulted in a Dmitri Kazionov goal off the deflection. Magnitka kept dominating and making visitors nervous. This constant pressure led to two straight delay of game penalties, and Traktor budged in a three-on-five situation – Demchenko had no arguments against a trademark shot of Sergei Mozyakin.

The third period started off with the third power play goal of the game scored by Jan Kovar, which gave Metallurg the lead for the very first time in this wild affair. The black-and-white rushed forward, and their attempts on goal were not in vain when Kirill Koltsov tied the game up with his sixth season goal. It seemed as though the fans would be treated to overtime, but it was not to be – Chris Lee gave Metallurg the win 50 seconds before the final horn.

Game details

METALLURG Magnitogorsk vs. TRAKTOR – 4:3 (0:2, 2:0, 2:1)
Goals: Alexei Petrov (Shinin, Szczechura), 18 (0:1 – PP goal); Szczechura, 20 (0:2 – shorthanded); Dmitri Kazionov (Tereshchenko, Osala), 28 (1:2); Mozyakin (Lee, Zaripov), 30 (2:2 – PP goal); Kovar (Semin, Bereglazov), 42 (3:2 – PP goal); Koltsov (Belov), 56 (3:3); Lee (Semin), 60 (4:3).

METALLURG
Samsonov (00:00 – 20:00), Koshechkin (20:00 – 60:00);
Biryukov – Antipin, Mozyakin (С) – Kovar – Wolski;
Bereglazov – Lee, Osala – Dmitri Kazionov – Denis Kazionov;
Khabarov – Tereshchenko, Zaripov – Filippi – Semin;
Dronov, Potekhin – Kaletnik – Platonov, Shvyrev.

TRAKTOR
Demchenko (59:15 – 60:00 – empty net);
Koltsov – Belov, Birner – Pestunov – Yakutsenya;
Denisov – Alexei Petrov, Gubarev – Szczechura – Mirnov;
Shinin (C) – Borodkin, Chernikov – Yuri Petrov – Pankov;
Mamayev – Klimontov, Sholokhov – Sharov – Zinovyev.

Shots on goal: 30 (10+12+8) – 33 (11+9+13).
Faceoffs won: 30 (13+13+4) – 22 (8+8+6).
Shots blocked: 15 (1+5+9) – 10 (3+3+4).
Hits: 17 (6+5+6) – 14 (5+7+2).
PIM: 4 (2+0+2) – 10 (4+6+0).
PP goals: 2-1.
TOI: Lee (27:14), Mozyakin (21:47), Wolski (21:33) – Belov (23:55), Shinin (19:40), Pestunov (18:43).

Referees: Pavel Ovchinnikov, Alexander Soin.
Linesmen: Alexander Zakharenkov, Alexander Sysuyev.

October 6, 2016. Metallurg Arena, Magnitogorsk, Russia. Attendance – 7140.