One shootout decides the match for Loko

Traktor coaching staff had to shuffle up the lines due to Kuznetsov's injury. Thus, Popov's line became the second one, third line consisted of Mokin, Zavarukhin and Popov, the fourth - of Abdullin, Valeyev and the debuting Aleksey Filippov.

First period
Loko came up with the first attempt on goal three minutes into the game as Garnett stopped the shot taken by Chernikov. Visitors responded in kind when Petri Kontiola single-handedly outplayed all of Loko D-men who had to thank their goalie Vitaly Kolesnik for stopping Traktor's resident Finn. By the midway mark of the period both teams took a total of 13 shots on goal, but none of those could actually be called a hundred-percent chance. After a ten-minute mark Traktor was left shorthanded as Artamonov headed to a penalty box. Loko had some chances, but Garnett was solid throughout these minutes. Closer to the end of the first twenty Anton Glinkin hit the post. As if upset by this injustice, Anton garnered a PP chance for his team. Traktor created a couple of notable chances, but these efforts did not give them a much needed goal.

Second period
At the top of the period Traktor once again had to overcome a one-man disadvantage, which the black-and-white did in a confident fashion. However, mere seconds later Filippov got a 2+10 for check to the head, but just like the last time around, Traktor killed off the penalty. One notable thing happened in this period before the break as Traktor's third line took Loko defensemen on a merry-go-round ride, but all to no avail.

Third period
Loko could open score three times within the span of three minutes, but Garnett was able to neutralize those attempts on goal. Couple of minutes later Mokin created a solo effort only to be stopped by Kolesnik. Several minutes later Glinkin scratched up another power play chance for the visitors, and it almost cost them the match right there; Plotnikov spurted for a breakaway, but Michael Garnett saved Traktor from calling it a game on the spot.

OT and shootouts
Neither team came up with substantial scoring chances, and the game slowly rolled into shootouts that brought luck to the hosts when Galimov scored the only goal of this game.

Game details

LOKOMOTIV vs. TRAKTOR – 1:0 SO (0:0, 0:0, 0:0, 0:0, 1:0)

Goal: Galimov, 65 (1:0 – game-winning penalty shot).

Shootouts: Galimov (1:0); Glinkin (1:0 - denied by goaltender); Chernikov (1:0 - wide); Kontiola (1:0 - wide); Apalkov (1:0 - denied by goaltender); Abdullin (1:0 - wide).

LOKOMOTIV (Yaroslavl)
Kolesnik;
Holos – Vasilyev, Konkov – Apalkov – Plotnikov (A);
Yakovlev – Vishnevski (C), Maltsev – Kapustin – Musatov;
Kronwall (A) – Zotov, Chernikov – Petrov – Kraskovsky,
Peretyagin – Koledov, Korenev – Averin – Galimov.

TRAKTOR (Chelyabinsk)
Garnett;
Ryabykin (C) – Bondarev, Chistov (A) – Kontiola (A) – Kostitsyn,
Kondratyev – Vasilchenko, Glinkin – Popov – Kokuyov,
Katichev – Borodkin, Mokin – Zavarukhin – Panov,
Klimontov – Artamonov, Abdullin – Valeyev – Filippov.

PIM: 6 (2+0+2+2) - 20 (2+16+2+0).
Shots: 31 (13+10+7+1) - 27 (11+10+3+3).
Faceoffs won: 28 (10+10+6+2) - 34 (13+8+11+2).
TOI: Holos (26:01), Apalkov (22:44), Plotnikov (21:40) - Ryabykin (26:05), Bondarev (24:50), Kontiola (23:02).
PP goals: 0-0.

December 27, 2013. Arena-2000-Lokomotiv, Yaroslavl, Russia. Attendance - 9000.