Rock and roll everybody!

Pavel Francouz started the game in the net for the second straight game. As far as the skaters go, Ilya Zinovyev replaced Semyon Afonasyevsky to take a spot in the second line. Yuri Petrov and Alexander Chernikov were once again placed in the third line, and Artyom Penkovsky centered it.

Traktor completely outplayed visitors throughout the entirety of the first period. However, Spartak goalie Nikita Bespalov was all but impeccable, turning aside a total of 19 shots during the period. Visitors had to play almost one third of this segment shorthanded, and it finally took its toll; with both teams already in full strength, Jiri Novotny was quick on the rebound to add the rubber into the net after an Artyom Borodkin shot. This was Jiri’s first goal in a black-and-white jersey.

Spartak turned the game around early on in the second period, having even managed to tie this game up. Stapleton won the draw, the puck went to Lukas Radil who beat his compatriot Pavel Francouz with a scintillating wrister. Much to the chagrin of Spartak fans, the black-and-white quickly regained the lead; Nikolai Belov saw traffic near Bespalov’s net and fired a wrist shot that found the back of the net. Shortly thereafter, Artyom Penkovsky scored a similar goal;Alexander Chernikov was fighting near the crease and might have touched the puck while being in the blue paint. Bespalov and company signaled about it to the officials, and they went on to view the situation. In the end, the goal was deemed legal, and the goal differential increased to two.

Throughout the third period, Spartak was putting in every effort to cut the goal margin. A power play goal scored by Denis Tolpeko helped the team somewhat. Visitors continued putting the pressure on the black-and-white, locking them up in the defensive zone. During these troubled times, Pavel Francouz was great and did not allow anything in. The goalie has inspired the skaters, and everyone was willing to put their body in harm’s way, just as Nikolai Belov did when he blocked a shot moments before the final buzzer. Traktor gets a very important win and five points out of nine in this home series which continues on Tuesday against Avtomobilist.

Game details

TRAKTOR vs. SPARTAK – 3:2 (1:0, 2:1, 0:1)
Goals: Novotny (Borodkin, Yakutsenya), 18 (1:0); Radil (Stapleton, Stoa), 26 (1:1); Belov (Shinin), 27 (2:1); Penkovsky, 32 (3:1); Tolpeko (Potapov, Shmelyov), 47 (3:2 – PP goal).

TRAKTOR
Francouz;
Shinin (C) – Belov, Sharov – Szczechura – Yakutsenya;
Koltsov – Borodkin, Zinovyev – Pestunov (A) – Roy;
Alexei Petrov (A) – Petrikov, Chernikov – Yuri Petrov – Penkovsky;
Mamayev – Klimontov, Gubarev – Novotny – Sholokhov.

SPARTAK
Bespalov (59:19-60:00 – empty net);
Provolnev – Gilroy (A), Stapleton – Stoa – Radil;
Sergiyenko – Bondarev (A), Glazachev – Vasilyev – Mirnov;
Kirillov – Dyblenko, Shmelyov – Bobrov – Leshchenko;
Li, Tolpeko – Berdnikov – Potapov (C).

Shots on goal: 37 (20+11+6) – 28 (5+12+11).
Faceoffs won: 30 (12+11+7) – 21 (5+9+7).
Shots blocked: 12 (4+4+4) – 13 (5+8+0).
Hits: 7 (2+4+1) – 6 (2+1+3).
PIM: 4 (2+0+2) – 8 (6+2+0).
PP goals: 0-1.
TOI: Borodkin (27:14), Yakutsenya (21:28), Roy (21:20) – Gilroy (25:18), Provolnev (21:39), Bondarev (20:45).

Referees: Daniel Konc (Slovakia), Alexei Vasilyev.
Linesmen: Pyotr Alyoshin, Yuri Ivanov.

January 15, 2017. Traktor Arena n.a. Valeri Belousov, Chelyabinsk, Russia. Attendance – 7500.