Traktor comes away with a fifth consecutive win and takes the overall KHL lead

First period
Both teams were getting acquainted with each other until the fourth minute when Popov and Karpov took two shots on goal from the crease, but Slovan’s goaltender Jaroslav Janus was on point. Traktor played faster for the better part of the period, also overcoming visitors shots-wise (11-2). Middle-period Kuznetsov had a scoring chance when he shot the puck while standing back first to the net, but Janus made a pad save. Then, in a wink, Traktor opened the score. Belov executed a truly regal pass to Yakutsenya who converted a breakaway into 1-0 on the scoreboard. Visitors could tie the game on the power play – Josef Boumedienne took a slapshot from the blue line, but Belov blocked it. Three minutes before the intermission Kontiola received Kostitsyn’s pass right beside Slovan’s empty net, but the visiting team was lucky to escape trouble on that exchange. Moments before the break Bulis had a breakaway, but again, Janus saved Slovan from bigger misfortunes than they already had to face.


Second period
Home team began the period with a mission and earned the power play as a result, though it expired without any substantial scoring opportunities. After five-minute mark Antipov doubled the score with an accurate shot. The next Traktor’s attack had all the potential in the world to turn into 3-0, but Karpov could not outplay Janus. A bit later on Kuznetsov created another mini-miracle, outplaying three Slovan’s defensemen and passing the puck to Bulis who could not hit the empty corner of the net. Soon Slovan pulled one back as Miro Šatan utilized his breakaway to perfection – 2:1. However, Traktor instantly managed to reestablish the two-goal margin – Suglobov scored his first goal in Traktor. In the closing moments of the period Traktor and Slovan both had been given penalties, and the home team had to finish the period shorthanded.



Third period
Habitually, Traktor controlled the pace of the match in the third period. Early in the third the teams played four-on-four. Shortly thereafter Slovan could reduce the two-goal deficit to one-goal and bring them back in contention, but Ivan Ďatelinka’s shot hit the bar. After this wake-up call Traktor completely took the reins of the match into their own hands. First Kontiola and Kostitsyn did not put the puck away in two-on-one situation; then Kuznetsov’s shots were stopped by Jaroslav Janus. Afterwards, Kontiola hit ‘his’ post and Popov along with Glinkin took Slovan’s players for a merry-go-round ride in their own zone, but forgot to take a shot on goal. Shortly before the buzzer Bulis set the final score on wasted goal-scoring opportunities as his shot missed the empty corner of Janus’ net. The final buzzer disappeared in applause, and there was a little something to applaud for – Traktor scored their fifth consecutive win, vaulting to the top of both Eastern Conference and overall KHL leaderboards with 24 points in 10 games.



Stats and details

Traktor (Chelyabinsk) vs. Slovan (Bratislava) – 3:1 (1:0, 2:1, 0:0)

Goals:Yakutsenya (Belov), 9 (1:0);Antipov (Suglobov, Panov), 26 (2:0); Šatan (Vondrka), 34 (2:1 – shorthanded), Suglobov (Panov, Antipov), 35 (3:1).

Traktor (Chelyabinsk)
Garnett;
Quint – Ryabykin (A), Chistov – Bulis – Kuznetsov,
Belov – Vasilchenko, Yakutsenya – Kontiola – Kostitsyn,
Razin – Katichev, Suglobov – Antipov (C) – Panov (A),
Nesterov – Shinin, Glinkin – Popov – Karpov.

Slovan (Bratislava)
Janus;
Sigalet – Tabaček, Vondrka – Bližňák – Miklík,
Luža – Štajnoch, Bartovič (A) – Ölvecký – Kukumberg,
Boumedienne – Švarný, Hudáček – Lipiansky (A) – Šatan (C),
Ďatelinka, Dravecký – Šťastný – Daňo.

Penalty Minutes:10 (2+4+4) - 10 (0+6+4).
Shots:30 (11+14+5) - 14 (2+6+6).
Faceoffs Won:26 (7+13+6) - 28 (6+13+8).
Time on Ice:Ryabykin (20:13), Quint (18:57), Chistov (17:08) - Švarný (22:09), Štajnoch (20:34), Sigalet (20:02).
Power Play Goals:0-0.
Referees:Denis Naumov, Roman Shchenev (both – Togliatti).
Linesmen:Dmitry Golovlev (Naberezhnye Chelny), Gleb Lazarev (Perm).
October 1, 2012. Traktor Arena, Chelyabinsk, Russia. Attendance – 7300.