Keep on rollin’, baby

The first twenty was an even back-and-forth affair, with both teams organizing decent attacks and both goalies not allowing anything in. The only notable thing that happened during the first period was a Vityaz power play that was expertly neutralized by the black-and-white.

The opponents made up for the uneventful first period with a wild goal exchange in the second. Derek Roy opened the score in a five-on-three situation; the puck took a very odd trajectory after his shot and landed behind Harri Säteri and into the net. Two minutes later, Alexander Chernikov doubled the lead off of a trademark stellar pass by Dmitri Pestunov. After seeing two straight goals, everyone might have thought this was pretty much the end of the game, but Vityaz had other thoughts. Mad Max, who is experiencing career resurgence in Podolsk, scored two quick goals within the span of three minutes to tie this contest up at two. However, this still was not the end of this goalfest as Alexei Kruchinin once again pulled hosts ahead with a blistering blue-liner during a power play. Right before the break, Traktor could have extended the lead, but Derek Roy and Paul Szczechura could not beat Säteri in a two-on-one situation.

The third period was played in a rather cautious manner by both teams. Vityaz was seemingly tired (and understandably so, because it was their third straight game on the road) but still attempted to chase Traktor down. Nonetheless, Demchenko and company were solid and did not budge even when Säteri was pulled for a sixth skater. Three two, Traktor gets a W; now, since Salavat lost their game to Lokomotiv, the black-and-white are just six points away from the fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings, a spot that guarantees the home ice advantage for the first round of playoffs.

Game details

TRAKTOR vs. VITYAZ – 3:2 (0:0, 3:2, 0:0)
Goals: Roy, 24 (1:0 – PP goal); Chernikov (Pestunov, Klimontov), 26 (2:0); Afinogenov (Nikulin, Romanov), 28 (2:1); Afinogenov (Nikulin, Makeyev), 31 (2:2); Kruchinin (Pestunov), 33 (3:2 – PP goal).

TRAKTOR
Demchenko;
Belov – Borodkin, Kruchinin – Szczechura – Yakutsenya;
Koltsov – Denisov (A), Chernikov – Yuri Petrov – Zinovyev;
Shinin (C) – Klimontov, Sharov – Pestunov (A) – Roy;
Alexei Petrov, Gubarev – Penkovsky – Afonasyevsky.

VITYAZ
Säteri (58:52-60:00 – empty net);
Golovkov – Semyonov (C), Makeyev – Nikulin – Afinogenov (A);
Katichev – Jerabek, Kopeikin – Aaltonen – Kempe;
Romanov – Gimayev, Vyglazov – Horak – Chernov;
Lukin – Yepishin, Solodukhin (A) – Rubtsov – Abdullin.

Shots on goal: 33 (7+15+10) – 39 (11+16+12).
Faceoffs won: 31 (12+11+8) – 23 (1+10+12).
Shots blocked: 15 (5+3+7) – 13 (6+5+2).
Hits: 11 (3+4+4) – 7 (3+3+1).
PIM: 6 (2+2+2) – 6 (0+6+0).
PP goals: 2-0.
TOI: Denisov (22:05), Yakutsenya (20:17), Belov (19:45) – Jerabek (20:55), Horak (19:39), Semyonov (19:34).

Referees: Martin Frano, Antonin Jerabek (both – Czech Republic).
Linesmen: Ivan Dedyulya, Dmitri Golyak (both – Belarus).

November 27, 2016. Traktor Arena n.a. Valeri Belousov, Chelyabinsk, Russia. Attendance – 7400.