First season’s loss for Traktor

First period

Both teams scored several penalties and played shorthanded for the better part of the period, accumulating a total of 14 penalty minutes. Traktor got the power play first but failed to convert it into goals. On the contrary, it was SKA that scored the game’s opening goal – Fedor Fedorov won a one-on-one battle against Garnett. Traktor got one more power play momentarily and this time managed to put it away. Jan Bulis tied the game with an accurate shot after Chistov’s pass. After the goal Traktor had a power play again, but only for a few seconds as referee sent Glinkin to the penalty box. The middle of the period saw Tikhomirov hit the post; both teams struggled for advantage, but seemingly to no avail. Disposition changed quickly, however, as fifteen minutes into the period Gleb Klimenko made it two-to-one game. Late in the period Traktor got the power play yet again and organized an absolute onslaught on SKA’s net but Ezhov managed to keep all the shots at bay. Then, as both teams were ready to head back to their respective locker rooms, Klimenko scored his second and his team’s third goal three seconds before the intermission.

Second period

During the break Belousov made some much needed changes – Fokin substituted Garnett, and Panov and Karpov swapped the lines. Traktor dominated throughout the whole period, but Lady Luck wasn’t on Traktor’s side. Seven minutes into the period Traktor once again got the power play which quickly turned into four-on-four. Traktor created more scoring chances during this period of time; Kuznetsov got away from two SKA’s defenders but couldn’t take a shot. Visitors responded with Grebsehkov’s shot that was stopped by Fokin. Traktor created several more opportunities in the middle of the period, but Panov and Chistov got unlucky for heck knows what time. Late in the period things got cranky. First off, Panov had a breakaway but couldn’t lift the puck. Then Fokin got injured and left the ice as Chelyabinsk faithful gave a round of applause to their goalie. After that, Yakutsenya and Kontiola had 100 percent scoring chances, but before the final intermission the scoreboard still read 1-3.


Third period
The last period started with a scintillating hit by Jan Bulis against Aleksandr Kucheryavenko. Three minutes into the period SKA played five-on-four, but Traktor’s defense was on point. Five minutes later Yakutsenya had s scoring chance but sent the puck right into the pads of Ilya Ezhov who had the wherewithal to move to the corner to save his goal. Right after that SKA was left shorthanded. Bulis shot from the goalmouth, Ryabykin – twice from the blue line, but all to no avail. Later on Ryabykin saved the net by driving the puck away from Traktor’s goal; then Belov couldn’t hit the upper corner of Ezhov’s net. It seemed as if that was it, but Kuznetsov had other plans. 54 seconds before the final buzzer he picked up the rebounded puck and hit the net, extending a straw of hope to his team. Unfortunately, all the efforts of Traktor’s players to save the game were futile. SKA came away with a victory, handing the first season loss to Traktor that, despite having had more goal scoring opportunities, came up short.



Stats and details

Traktor (Chelyabinsk) vs SKA (Saint-Petersburg) – 2:3 (1:3, 0:0, 1:0) 

Goals: F. Fedorov, 3 (0:1 – shorthanded); Bulis (Chistov, Kuznetsov), 4 (1:1 – power play); Klimenko (Kucheryavenko, Makarov), 15 (1:2); Klimenko (Kucheryavenko, Makarov), 20 (1:3 – power play), Kuznetsov (Panov) 60 (2:3). 

Traktor (Chelyabinsk)
Garnett (0:00 – 20:00, 35:52 – 59:26), (Fokin 20:00 – 35:52);
Quint – Ryabykin (A), Chistov – Bulis – Kuznetsov,
Belov – Vasilchenko, Karpov – Kontiola – Yakutsenya,
Razin – Katichev, Glinkin – Popov – Antipov (C),
Zakiev – Sayustov – Panov (A).

SKA (Saint-Petersburg)
Ezhov;
Kalinin (C) – Dallman, Monakhov – Mortensson – Thoresen (A), 
Vorobyev – Semenov (A), Rybin – Tikhomirov – Afinogenov,
Aleksandrov – Chudinov, Klimenko – Kucheryavenko – Makarov,
Grebeshkov – Berdyukov, Glazachev – F. Fedorov – Burdasov. 

Penalty Minutes: 12 (6+4+2) - 14 (8+4+2)
Shots: 37 (16+10+11) - 30 (12+13+5)
Faceoffs Won: 34 (13+8+13) - 30 (12+11+7)
Time on Ice: Quint (25:08), Belov (22:04), Bulis (21:45), Ryabykin (21:45) - Kalinin (23:16), Dallman (22:33), Thoresen (19:47)
Power Play Goals: 1-1.

Referees: Mkihail Buturlin, Aleksey Ravodin (both – Moscow, Russia).
Linesmen: Viktor Birin (Moscow, Russia), Viktor Lazarev (Perm, Russia).

September 13, 2012. Traktor Arena, Chelyabinsk, Russia. Attendance – 7500.