The Traktor that could

Some changes took place in team's lineup. Michael Garnett returned to the nets to replace Vlad Fokin. Also, Mokin and Panov exchanged lines, and former team captain was relegated to the fourth line while the dynamic Mokin took his place in the second one alongside Glinkin and Popov. Thus, Kokuyov was moved to the third line. Finally, Danilishin replaced Fokin as the substitute goalie.

First period
Both teams showed some high-octane hockey throughout the period. Salavat set the tone for the match when Zaborsky fired the shot that was bound to come in, but Garnett, as if saying 'Not on my watch, Tom boy!', turned it aside. Later on Bulis made another selfless block, and this sparked the fire inside Traktor's engine that led to the opening goal of the game. Popov tore through the attacking zone and fired a shot stopped by Vasilevskiy, but Mokin was first on the rebound and hit the empty goal. Midway through the first twenty visitors got a chance at power play, but, thanks to Jan Bulis clearing the puck twice, were unable to retaliate in kind. That, however, lasted until minute number 16; a swift counter by Salavat resulted in two ones on the scoreboard (Filatov was the perpetrator).

Second period
The second twenty began with a cannonball of a shot by Antti Pihlström and a Traktor two-on-two gone awry. Couple minutes later Glinkin and Mokin had a two-on-one, but Mikhail could not execute a convenient pass. Shortly thereafter Traktor's momentum died down, and Salavat pulled ahead thanks to an accurate close range shot by Kirill Koltsov. Salavat capitalized on their flurry and garnered a power play opportunity. In addition to that, fans in attendance and those watching at home witnessed a little hustle and bustle between Vasilchenko and Isangulov. The opponents fought to a tie and went to their respective penalty boxes to cool down. Shorthanded play went on rather smoothly for Traktor until Igor Mirnov found the back of the net with a blistering shot to the near top corner. Dinamo Riga scenario was looming on the horizon, but this was another game and another Traktor. Three minutes later Zavarukhin, whose career has been rejuvenated as of late, outsmarted both Vasilevskiy and a Salavat D-man and pulled one back. The most noteworthy episode of the remaining minutes of the period was another fight that never really got started, this time between Katichev and Ankudinov. There was no clear winner once again, just like in this match after 40 minutes of it.

Third period
Third period came about, and many fans must have shed a nostalgic tear while watching Traktor exterminate the opposition. Six minutes into the period two Ks, Kontiola and Kostitsyn, conjured up another PP goal as #46 spearheaded a beautiful combination. The black-and-white could not be stopped after that; five minutes later the unsung hero of this game, Andrey Popov, pulled Traktor ahead, not leaving Vasilevskiy a single chance. Salavat, to their credit, scratched and clawed, not wanting to give this game away that easy; Tomas Zaborsky deflected the puck after Khlystov's half-shot half-pass, but Garnett miraculously stopped it with a blocker save. Traktor dictated the pace throughout the remainder of this match, and the dots above i were put by Aleksey Zavarukhin and his empty-netter. 5:3, Traktor comes away with a terrific victory and stays within the playoffs zone.

Game details

TRAKTOR vs. SALAVAT YULAEV – 5:3 (1:1, 1:2, 3:0)

Goals: Mokin (Popov), 8 (1:0); Filatov (Tolpeko, Makarov), 16 (1:1); Koltsov (Kaygorodov), 27 (1:2); Mirnov (Vasilevskiy, Babchuk), 30 (1:3); Zavarukhin, 33 (2:3); Kostitsyn (Kontiola, Kondratyev), 47 (3:3 – PP goal); Popov (Mokin, Glinkin), 52 (4:3); Zavarukhin, 60 (5:3 – empty net).

TRAKTOR
Garnett;
Kondratyev – Vasilchenko, Bulis (A) – Kontiola (A) – Kostitsyn;
Ryabykin (C) – Bondarev, Glinkin – Popov – Mokin;
Katichev – Borodkin, Chistov – Zavarukhin – Kokuyov;
Khlystov – White, Osnovin – Valeyev – Panov.

SALAVAT YULAEV
Vasilevskiy (0:00 – 59:25, 59:48 – 60:00);
Babchuk – Shchitov, Zaborsky – Khlystov (C) – Dubrovskiy;
Vishnevsky – Kulda, Filatov – Makarov (A) – Tolpeko;
Koltsov – Zubarev, Pihlström – Kaygorodov (A) – Mirnov;
Isangulov – Gurkin, Slepyshev – Mereskin – Ankudinov.

PIM: 8 (2+6+0) - 10 (0+8+2).
Shots: 21 (7+6+8) - 25 (7+12+6).
Faceoffs won: 27 (10+8+9) - 28 (11+10+7).
TOI: Glinkin (19:52), Kondratyev (19:09), Ryabykin (19:04) - Zubarev (21:38), Kaygorodov (19:23), Pihlström (18:26).
PP goals: 1-0.

January 16, 2014. Traktor Arena, Chelyabinsk, Russia. Attendance - 7200.