Traktor victim of a miraculous comeback

Vlad Fokin was the substitute goalie for the night. Ryabykin and Khlystov were moved to the fourth pair. The only change made in the attacking lines was Mokin replacing Abdullin.

First period
The opponents started off rather slowly. The first notable scoring chance came five minutes into the game when Dinamo's second line took three shots at Garnett's goal; Michael turned all of them aside. Just like the previous game, Traktor's third line was the most prolific in terms of attacking pressure. Despite that fact, not many shots were taken in the first half of the period. Past that mark, however, things got better; Traktor acquired a power play chance, but, counterintuitively, allowed a goal - a blunder on the blue line led to a two-on-one and Platt's scoring effort. Business quickly picked up; Valeyev and Gavrus had a confrontation that sent them to the sin bin. This seemingly gave Traktor a much needed energy boost, and before the horn visitors tied the game as Kostitsyn executed a terrific blind pass to Popov, and the latter slapped the hell out of the puck with a terrific one-timer.

Second period
Traktor coaching staff began the period by swapping Osnovin and Darzins. Dinamo was close to a goal; Platt could convert a solo effort, but Garnett and his pad had another opinion about that. Traktor reciprocated in kind; Chistov found Kuznetsov with a pass, and Kuzya hit a brilliant one-timer to pull visitors ahead. Dinamo did not want to put up with this state-of-affairs and locked Traktor in their own zone, but several saves by Garnett cut off hosts' momentum. After a power play by Traktor the opponents took a breather that lasted before the buzzer.

Third period
Three minutes into the period Traktor's third line once again dominated hosts; Kokuyov charged a close-range shot turned away by Lars Haugen. After a little stalemate the game took a U-turn; after a controversial call that sent Artamonov to the penalty box, Kaznadey hit a an extraterrestrially precise slapshot to tie the game. Having received a huge booster, Dinamo darted forward and eventually got the needed result as another counter was finished with a goal-scoring effort by Kitarov. To their credit, Traktor was not demoralized by this unfortunate turn of events and did everything to salvage seemingly pocketed three points; Kostitsyn and Kuznetsov were oh-so close to turning the affair into the overtime, but Haugen stood in puck's way into the net on both occasions. Despite pulling Garnett, Traktor was unable to turn this game around one more time. Nogachev tallied an empty-netter, setting the final score of the match - four two.

Game details

DINAMO Minsk vs. TRAKTOR – 4:2 (1:1, 0:1, 3:0)

Goals: Platt (Surovy), 13 (1:0 - shorthanded); Popov (Kostitsyn, Glinkin), 16 (1:1); Kuznetsov (Chistov), 28 (1:2); Kaznadey (Kalyuzhny, Stas) 52 (2:2 – PP goal); Kitarov (Yefimenko), 57 (3:2); Nogachev, 60 (4:2 – en).

DINAMO (Minsk)
Haugen;
Nogachev – Krajicek, Kalyuzhny (C) – Stas – Irgl (A),
Shinkevich – Kaznadey, Platt (A) – Surovy – Materukhin,
Sheleg – Usenko, Zakharov – Kitarov – Yefimenko,
Drozd – Shuinar – Gavrus,
Dadonov.

TRAKTOR (Chelyabinsk)
Garnett (0:00 – 58:32, 59:06 – 60:00);
Kondratyev – Bondarev, Chistov – Bulis (A) – Kuznetsov (A),
Borodkin – Katichev, Darzins – Kontiola – Kostitsyn,
Artamonov – Klimontov, Glinkin – Popov – Kokuyov,
Ryabykin (C) – Khlystov, Mokin – Osnovin – Valeyev.

PIM: 10 (6+4+0) - 8 (4+2+2).
Shots: 33 (8+17+8)  - 32 (15+8+9).
Faceoffs won: 29 (10+10+9) - 36 (15+8+13).
TOI: Krajicek (22:31), Irgl (20:43), Usenko (20:12) - Kondratyev (21:25), Kuznetsov (20:56), Chistov (20:38).
PP goals: 1-0.

Referees: Denis Bondar (Magnitogorsk), Aleksandr Cherenkov (Moscow).
Linesmen: Aleksandr Nesterov (Saint-Petersburg), Viktor Birin (Moscow).

November 28, 2013. Minsk Arena, Minsk, Belarus. Attendance - 10800.

Photo by Aleksandr Shichko, pressball.by