Traktor victorious in the final home game of the regular season

Traktor began the match in a traditional line-up except for two positions – ValeryNichushkin was given a day-off as he has recently returned from U-18 Five Nations Cup with best forward award; plus,Vasily Demchenko became the substitute goaltender for the match.

First period
Traktor was dominant throughout the period, but this fact didn’t find any substantial reflection on the scoreboard. However, the very first minute brought the opening goal of the game when DeronQuint hit the far corner of the net with a scintillating wrist shot. Traktor executed one attack after another, but visitors, at times miraculously, held on. Avto had a decent scoring chance whenSimakov fired at empty corner of the net, but could not find it. Immediately after that Traktor executed a nice counterattack that ended in a penalty shot. Yevgeny Kuznetsov could double Traktor’s lead, but failed to find the goal. Traktor later had another chance, and Panov was ready to celebrate the goal… but his joy was cut short as the puck hit the post. The home team had three more chances before the buzzer, but luck was on Avto’s side. As always, the old rule of sport ‘score yourself or open up your net’ proved to be right; after so many scoring chances for Traktor Shpirkotied the game six minutes before the horn.

Second period
Despite having two chances at power play at the top of the period, Traktor created their first substantial chance only five minutes after the period began; Karpov performed a wrap-around, but Avto’s goalie Lobanovwas on point. Both teams then executed a couple of attacks that did not end with a goal due to great efforts from both goaltenders, especially Garnett; Michael made a tremendous catch after a blue line shot by Mezei. Towards the end of the period Traktor received another power play chance; Bulis earned it and could punish Avto all by himself, but Lobanov did not budge yet again. Nonetheless, by hook or crook Traktor was able to pull ahead; Kostitsyn skated into the attacking zone and fired a wrist shot that became an insolvable problem for Lobanov. 2:1, and no more goal drought for Andrey!

Third period
Avto had one heck of a start in the third period and locked Traktor in their own zone for some three minutes; all to no avail as this onslaught ended in a two-on-one; Kuznetsov and Chistov could not decide on who was to take the final shot, and the opportunity was lost. Kostitsyn could score his second during another Traktor’s power play, but missed the goal a bit. The most memorable moment of the period came at the hands of YevgenyKatichev who obliterated the unsuspecting Zhmakin with a ferocious hit. In the very next attack Karpov who should have scored no less than three of four times tonight had yet another chance, but sent the puck wide of the net. Karpov’s efforts didn’t come in vain as his linemate Yegor Dugin picked up the relay baton and set the final score of the match. 3:1, and Traktor heads to Magnitogorsk to do battle for the third spot in Eastern conference rankings.

Stats and details

Traktor vs. Avtomobilist – 3:1 (1:1, 1:0, 1:0)

Goals: Quint (Kuznetsov, Bulis), 1 (1:0); Shpirko (Simakov), 14 (1:1);Kostitsyn (Popov, Razin), 40 (2:1);Dugin (Antipov), 58 (3:1).

Penalty shot: Kuznetsov, 4 (denied by goaltender).

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

Avtomobilist (Yekaterinburg)
Lobanov;
Mezei – Yukseyev, Zhmakin – Malykhin – Vorobyev,
Rybnitsky – Sokolov (A), Makeyev – Shpirko – Simakov (C),
Sazonov – Kurbatov, Savchenko – Yemeleyev – Lapenkov,
Stupin, Chistyakov – Streltsov – Pronin (A).

Penalty Minutes: 0 (0+0+0) - 8 (2+4+2).
Shots: 26 (12+7+7) - 21 (6+9+6).
Faceoffs Won: 26 (10+6+10) - 33 (10+13+10).
Time on Ice: Yakutsenya (18:11), Panov (17:08), Antipov (16:38) - Malykhin (19:14), Yukseyev (19:11), Shpirko (19:02).
Power Play Goals: 0-0.

Referees: Vladislav Kiselyov (Ufa), Pavel Komarov (Nizhny Novgorod).
Linesmen: Dmitry Parfyonov, Aleksandr Sysuyev (both – Ufa).