Another twelve game day for the Russian league, beginning in...
Omsk, as Avangard hosts Lev Prague. Petri Vehanen and Mathieu Garon are given the starting nods. Prague began in the first period with a Patrik Zackrisson goal, with a lone helper from Calle Ridderwall. Lev added on with a Topi Jaakola scoring, thanks to Justin Azevedo. Omsk got on the board in the second period with a power play goal by Denis Kulyash, powered by Sergei Shirokov and Anton Kuryanov. Avangard tied it in the third period as Kuryanov scored a power play goal, helped along by Andrei Ivanov. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Lev won as David Ullstrom had the only goal for a 3-2 win. The three stars were Kuryanov, Vehanen (35 for 37 in saves), and Ullstrom.
Next up, Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg welcomes CSKA Moscow. Ilya Proskuryakov and Jakub Kovar are in the blue paint. Moscow got going in the second period as Igor Grigorenko scored, with the help of Nikolai Prokhorkin. CSKA added on in the third period with an Alexei Morozov power play goal, powered by Ilari Filppula and Alexander Radulov. This resulted in a 2-0 final, with the three stars being Proskuryakov (28 save shutout), Grigorenko, and Morozov.
Moving along to Khanty-Mansiysk, as Yugra brings in Dinamo Riga. Mikael Tellqvist and Mikhail Biryukov are set to start. Riga was first to score in the first period with a power play goal by Kyle Wilson, powered by Marcel Hossa and Mat Robinson. Khanty-Mansiysk tied it on a Veli-Matti Savinainen power play goal, passed from Stephen Dixon and Radek Smolenak. The tie lasted into overtime, where Dinamo won with a Paul Szczechura goal, coming off of Robinson and Wilson on the power play. The three stars of the 2-1 game were Tellqvist (36 for 37 in saves), Wilson, and Robinson.
South to Kazakhstan, as Barys Astana hosts Slovan Bratislava. Miroslav Kopriva and Ari Ahonen play goal. Bratislava struck first in the first period as Michel Miklik scored, via Michal Sersen and Andrej Stastny. Astana tied it with a Konstantin Rudenko goal, coming off of Roman Starchenko. Barys took the lead with a Dmitry Upper goal, fueled by Alexei Litvinenko. Astana added on in the second period as Mike Lundin scored, with assists provided by Evgeny Blokhin and Konstantin Romanov. Barys extended the lead as Dustin Boyd scored a power play goal, powered by Nigel Dawes and Brandon Bochenski. Astana padded the lead in the third period as Dawes scored a power play goal, thanks to Bochenski and Lundin. Barys wrapped it up at 6-1 as Dawes scored his second of the game on the power play, and Bochenski had the lone assist for a sock trick. The three stars were Dawes, Bochenski, and Lundin.
Back in Russia, Vityaz Podolsk welcomes Admiral Vladivostok. Evgeny Ivannikov and Ivan Lisutin are the reliable goalies. Vladivostok opened in the first period with a Viktor Drugov goal, assisted by Igor Bortnikov. Admiral added on as Alexei Ugarov scored an unassisted goal. Podolsk got on the board in the third period with a Maxim Afinogenov goal, passed from Mike Iggulden and Logan Pyett. Vladivostok iced it at 3-1 when Niclas Bergfors scored an empty net goal, set up by Konstantin Sokolov and Felix Schutz. The three stars were handed to Ivannikov (20 for 21 in saves), Ugarov, and Drugov.
A bit to the east, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod brings in Sibir Novosibirsk. Mikko Koskinen and Vitaly Koval protect the nets. Novosibirsk started in the first period with a Kristian Kudroc power play goal, powered by Jori Lehtera and Dmitry Kugryshev. Nizhny Novgorod tied it with a power play goal by Denis Parshin, made possible by Pavel Valentenko and Jarkko Immonen. Torpedo took the lead as Parshin scored another power play goal in the second period, via Sakari Salminen and Immonen. Nizhny Novgorod added on in the third period with a Vladimir Galuzin goal, assisted by Vadim Krasnoslobodtsev and Vyacheslav Kulyomin. This held up for a 3-1 win, with the three stars being Parshin, Koval (21 for 22 in saves), and Immonen.
Down in Kazan, Ak Bars hosts Amur Khabarovsk. Mika Jarvinen and Konstantin Barulin. Kazan dented the scoreboard in the second period with an Alexei Tereshchenko power play goal, powered by Ilya Nikulin and Konstantin Korneyev. Khabarovsk got on the board in the third period with an unassisted goal by Artyom Kryukov. Amur took the lead as Timofei Shishkanov scored, with a lone assist by Andrei Stepanov. This held up for a 2-1 win, with the three stars being Jarvinen (29 for 30 in saves), Shishkanov, and Barulin (33 for 35 in saves).
Back west to Moscow, as Spartak welcomes Traktor Chelyabinsk. Michael Garnett and Jeff Glass are the North American goalies. Moscow led off in the first period with an Igor Volkov goal, assisted by Denis Bodrov and Mikhail Yunkov. Chelyabinsk tied it with an Andrei Popov goal, fueled by Semyon Kokuyov and Anton Glinkin. Spartak took the lead back in the second period when Alexander Nikulin scored an unassisted goal. Traktor tied it on a Jan Bulis goal, via Glinkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov. Chelyabinsk took the lead as Kuznetsov scored a power play goal, powered by Maxim Kondratyev and Alexei Bondarev. Traktor added on in the third period as Glinkin scored, thanks to Popov and Kokuyov. Chelyabinsk extended the lead as Kokuyov scored, with helpers from Popov and Glinkin, the latter getting a sock trick. Moscow got one back as Filipp Toluzakov scored, with a lone assist by Viktor Bobrov. This produced the 5-3 final, with Glinkin, Popov, and Kokuyov getting the three stars, while Kuznetsov gets an honorable mention.
Staying in the city, Dynamo Moscow brings in Metallurg Novokuznetsk. Ilya Sorokin and Alexander Lazushin are between the pipes. Moscow was first to score in the first period with an Alexei Sopin goal, via Janne Jalasvaara and Konstantin Kasyanchuk. Novokuznetsk got on the board with a power play goal by Sergei Yemelin, coming off of Semyon Valuisky. Metallurg took the lead as Alexei Kosourov scored, with the help of Artyom Gareyev. Dynamo tied it with a Denis Kokarev goal, fueled by Denis Mosalyov and Sergei Soin. Novokuznetsk took the lead back with a Mikhail Kuklev goal, with a lone assist by Gareyev. Metallurg added on in the third period with a power play goal by Ansel Galimov, powered by Damir Zhafyarov and Zakhar Arzamastsev. Moscow got one back as Alexander Ryazentsev scored, with assists provided by Maxim Pestushko and Mosalyov. They failed to tie the game, losing 4-3, with the three stars being Gareyev, Galimov, and Mosalyov.
Out west to Belarus, as Dinamo Minsk hosts Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk. Alexander Sudnitsin and Lars Haugen guard the cages. Nizhnekamsk struck first in the first period as Yegor Milovzorov scored, with the help of Oskar Osala. Neftekhimik added on as Maxim Rybin scored, thanks to Pyotr Khokhryakov and Igor Polygalov. Minsk got on the board with a power play goal by Geoff Platt, powered by Alexei Kalyuzhny and Andrei Stas. Dinamo tied it with an unassisted goal by Alexander Materukhin. Minsk took the lead as Kalyuzhny scored a power play goal, assisted by Platt and Stas. Nizhnekamsk retied it in the third period on a shorthanded goal by Milovzorov, set up by Petr Koukal. Dinamo took the lead again with a Materukhin goal, his second of the game, with a lone assist from Alexander Kitarov. This made it 4-3, the final, with the three stars being Materukhin, Milovzorov, and Kalyuzhny, while Platt and Stas get the honorable mentions.
Onto Ukraine, as Donbass Donetsk welcomes Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Vasily Koshechkin and Michael Leighton tend the twines. Donetsk opened in the first period as Oleg Piganovich scored a power play goal, powered by Teemu Laine and Ruslan Fedotenko. Donbass added on with a Maxim Yakutsenya goal, fueled by Yury Silnitsky and Fedotenko. Magnitogorsk got on the board in the second period with a Sergei Mozyakin goal, passed from Jan Kovar and Viktor Antipin. Metallurg tied it with an unassisted goal by Yaroslav Khabarov. Donetsk took the lead again in the third period as Laine scored a power play goal, with assists provided by Clay Wilson and Peter Podhradsky. This was good for a 3-2 win, with Laine, Fedotenko, and Mozyakin being given the three stars.
Finally, in Zagreb, Medvescak brings in Salavat Yulaev Ufa. Andrei Vasilevsky and Mark Dekanich are the backups making spot starts. Ufa started with a power play goal by Dmitry Makarov in the first period powered by Teemu Hartikainen and Kirill Koltsov. This was the game's only goal, so Salavat Yulaev won 1-0. The three stars were Vasilevsky (37 save shutout), Makarov, and Dekanich (23 for 24 in saves).
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