Traktor with a loss to Donbass in a match of equal opportunities
First period
First period was largely notable for goalkeepers’ performance. Six minutes into
the match Donbass executed the first well-thought attack; Dadonov fired a shot,
Wirtanen tried to add the puck in the net, but Fokin excelled both of them on
this particular exchange. Traktor responded with Nichushkin-Karpov combo;
Maksim took a shot that did not find the net though. Both these two had another
great opportunity middle-period, but Nichushkin’s pass from Traktor’s zone on
Karpov was stopped at the last second. Traktor looked good in the second half
of the period; Kontiola and Chistov could pull Traktor ahead, but the former
missed the net and the latter’s solo effort was thwarted by Donbass’ defense.
The period finished with Fokin’s scintillating glove save.
Second period
The next 20 minutes of the match was more eventful. Deron Quint quickly brought
crowd to their feet with a supposed goal-scoring effort, but it turned out he
hit the post, not the net. Traktor’s goal was overdue, and it eventually came
almost halfway through the match. Ryabykin cut Kuznetsov from Donbass’
defensemen with an accurate pass, and Yevgeny brilliantly capitalized. Riding
the wave of success, Traktor rushed to try to increase the lead and very well
could do it had Kontiola caught Belov’s pass a couple of minutes later. Then
Jan Bulis could double the lead, but his namesake Laco made a miraculous save. Donbass
managed to tie the game at the hands of Nedorost; then Fokin took center stage
and made a series of superb saves that may very well appear on KHL top lists,
including the one made with his skate (!!!).
Third period
Traktor was focused right off the bat and executed several attacks early in the
third that unfortunately did not lead to a goal-scoring effort. Then the pendulum
of the game swung to Donbass’ side when Tuppurainen broke away and was taken
down; the victim himself scored the penalty shot and pulled visitors ahead.
Donbass had two more breakaways before the end of the match; one was stopped by
Fokin, the other was swing and a miss from Clay Wilson. Traktor could not do
anything even remotely resembling a goal-scoring chance until the last minute.
Belousov took a timeout and pulled Fokin; with one-man advantage Traktor
possibly created more scoring chances during the 60th minute alone
than throughout the whole contest. Kuznetsov had countless rebounds, Panov shot
from the crease, but Jan Laco was the stumbling rock on Traktor’s way to
victory. 1:2 – Traktor slips back to the third place on the East.
Stats and details
Traktor (Chelyabinsk) vs. Donbass (Donetsk) – 1:2 (0:0, 1:1, 0:1)
Goals: Kuznetsov (Ryabykin), 28 (1:0 – PP); Nedorost (Varlamov), 33
(1:1);Tuppurainen, 46 (1:2 – penalty shot).
Traktor (Chelyabinsk)
Fokin (0:00 – 59:30);
Quint – Ryabykin (C), Chistov (A) – Bulis – Kuznetsov,
Belov – Shinin, Yakutsenya – Kontiola – Kostitsyn,
Nesterov – Razin, Panov (A) – Popov – Glinkin,
Nichushkin – Dugin – Karpov.
Donbass (Donetsk)
Laco;
Peretyagin – Babchuk, Kochetkov – Fedotenko (C) – Varlamov,
Wilson – Podhradský, Dadonov – Nedorost (а) – Kiiskinen,
Kolař – Bartulis, Tuppurainen – Wirtanen – Pettersson,
Kvitchenko – Donika – Matoušek.
Penalty Minutes: 2 (0+2+0) - 6 (0+4+2).
Shots: 25 (9+7+9) - 25 (7+10+8).
Faceoffs Won: 39 (7+13+19) - 27 (7+12+8).
Time on Ice: Belov (22:04), Ryabykin (21:07), Quint (21:00) - Babchuk
(22:02), Peretyagin (21:05), Wilson (20:48).
Power Play Goals: 1-0.
Referees: Vyacheslav Bulanov, Andrey Rogachev (both – Moscow).
Linesmen: Konstantin Gordenko, Viktor Tomilov (both – Ufa).
December 5, 2012. Traktor Arena, Chelyabinsk, Russia. Attendance – 6750.
