Five games on today, beginning in...
Khanty-Mansiysk, as Yugra hosts Ak Bars Kazan. Anders Nilsson and Barry Brust are the goalies. Kazan struck first in the first period on an Evgeny Medvedev goal, courtesy of Fyodor Malykhin and Oscar Moller. Khanty-Mansiysk tied it in the second period as Ilari Melart scored, thanks to Vitaly Sitnikov and Dmitry Ryabykin. Yugra took the lead on an Igor Bortnikov goal, passed from Danil Romantsev and Ilya Korenev. Ak Bars tied it on a power play goal by Justin Azevedo, powered by Konstantin Korneyev. Khanty-Mansiysk took the lead back in the third period on a Nikita Gusev goal, with a lone assist by Igor Magogin. Kazan tied it with a Kirill Petrov power play goal, assisted by Korneyev and Azevedo. In the shootout, Yugra won with goals by Lukas Kasper and Gusev to top Moller's tally for a 4-3 win. The three stars went to Azevedo, Gusev, and Korneyev.
Southwest to Sochi, where the Leopards welcome Medvescak Zagreb. Mark Owuya and Tomas Popperle are in the blue paint. Sochi began in the first period on a shorthanded goal by Ilya Krikunov, set up by Clay Wilson. The Leopards added on with a shorthanded Cory Emmerton goal, with a lone assist by Max Warn. Sochi extended the lead with an unassisted Warn. The Leopards padded the lead with another Emmerton goal, assisted by Ryan Whitney and Mikhail Anisin. Sochi struck again in the second period with a power play goal by Igor Ignatushkin, powered by Andrei Kostitsyn and Nikita Shchitov. Zagreb got on the board with a Krystofer Kolanos goal, fueled by Shaone Morrisonn and Ville Leino. The Leopards answered in the third period on an Anisin penalty shot goal after he was slashed by Morrisonn. Medvescak got one back as Brandon Segal scored, thanks to Geoffrey Kinrade and Martin St. Pierre. This produced the 6-2 final, with the three stars going to Emmerton, Warn, and Anisin.
Back north to Nizhnekamsk, where Neftekhimik hosts Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg. Jakub Kovar and Alexander Sudnitsin are the young goalies. Yekaterinburg was first to score in the first period on a power play goal by Sami Lepisto, powered by Alexei Simakov and Anatoly Golyshev. Nizhnekamsk tied it with a Pyotr Khokhryakov goal, coming off of Alexander Yevseyenkov and Yaroslav Alshevsky. Avtomobilist took the lead back in the second period on an Alexei Mikhnov goal, guided in by Aaron Palushaj and Alexander Loginov. Yekaterinburg added on with a Mikhnov goal, his second of the game, made possible by Eduard Lewandowski and Alexander Bumagin. Avtomobilist extended the lead when Mikhnov completed his hat trick in the third period, with a lone assist by Bumagin. This held up for a 4-1 win, with the three stars given to Mikhnov, Kovar (36 for 37 in saves), and Bumagin.
West to Moscow, where Dynamo brings in Slovan Bratislava. Jaroslav Janus and Alexander Yeryomenko are given the starting nods. Moscow led off in the first period with a Kaspars Daugavins goal, courtesy of Konstantin Gorovikov. Dynamo added on with a Maxim Karpov goal, passed from Konstantin Volkov. Moscow extended the lead as Denis Kokarev scored, thanks to Denis Mosalyov. Dynamo padded the lead on another Karpov goal, fueled by Volkov and Filip Novak. Moscow kept going with an Alexei Tsvetkov power play goal in the second period, powered by Kokarev and Dmitry Vishnevsky. Bratislava got on the board with a Tomas Netik goal, made possible by Rok Ticar and Ziga Jeglic. Slovan pulled closer on an Ivan Baranka power play goal, helped along by Michal Sersen and Netik. Dynamo shot back in the third period on a Daugavins goal, with a lone assist by Novak. Moscow iced it at 7-2 with a Martins Karsums goal, with the help of Karpov. The three stars of the game were Karpov, Daugavins, and Kokarev, while Volkov, Netik, and Novak were given the honorable mentions.
Finally, Vityaz Podolsk hosts Dinamo Minsk. Danny Taylor and Harri Sateri are the masked men. Podolsk started in the first period with a Maxim Afinogenov goal, assisted by Alexei Makeyev and Alexei Semenov. Minsk tied it with a Matt Ellison goal, courtesy of Ryan Vesce and Ilya Shinkevich. Vityaz took the lead on a Makeyev goal, coming off of Alexander Kucheryavenko. Dinamo tied it on a Vesce power play goal, powered by Ellison and Nick Bailen. Minsk pulled ahead with a Jonathan Cheechoo goal, fueled by Alexei Kalyuzhny and Bailen. Podolsk tied it in the second period on a Kucheryavenko goal, guided in by Konstantin Klimontov. Dinamo took the lead on an Ellison goal, helped along by Vesce and Charles Linglet. Minsk won 5-3 with a third period Paul Szczechura empty net goal, set up by Cheechoo and Kalyuzhny. The three stars went to Ellison, Vesce, and Kucheryavenko, while Makeyev, Bailen, Cheechoo, and Kalyuzhny get the honorable mentions.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Khanty-Mansiysk, as Yugra hosts Ak Bars Kazan. Anders Nilsson and Barry Brust are the goalies. Kazan struck first in the first period on an Evgeny Medvedev goal, courtesy of Fyodor Malykhin and Oscar Moller. Khanty-Mansiysk tied it in the second period as Ilari Melart scored, thanks to Vitaly Sitnikov and Dmitry Ryabykin. Yugra took the lead on an Igor Bortnikov goal, passed from Danil Romantsev and Ilya Korenev. Ak Bars tied it on a power play goal by Justin Azevedo, powered by Konstantin Korneyev. Khanty-Mansiysk took the lead back in the third period on a Nikita Gusev goal, with a lone assist by Igor Magogin. Kazan tied it with a Kirill Petrov power play goal, assisted by Korneyev and Azevedo. In the shootout, Yugra won with goals by Lukas Kasper and Gusev to top Moller's tally for a 4-3 win. The three stars went to Azevedo, Gusev, and Korneyev.
Southwest to Sochi, where the Leopards welcome Medvescak Zagreb. Mark Owuya and Tomas Popperle are in the blue paint. Sochi began in the first period on a shorthanded goal by Ilya Krikunov, set up by Clay Wilson. The Leopards added on with a shorthanded Cory Emmerton goal, with a lone assist by Max Warn. Sochi extended the lead with an unassisted Warn. The Leopards padded the lead with another Emmerton goal, assisted by Ryan Whitney and Mikhail Anisin. Sochi struck again in the second period with a power play goal by Igor Ignatushkin, powered by Andrei Kostitsyn and Nikita Shchitov. Zagreb got on the board with a Krystofer Kolanos goal, fueled by Shaone Morrisonn and Ville Leino. The Leopards answered in the third period on an Anisin penalty shot goal after he was slashed by Morrisonn. Medvescak got one back as Brandon Segal scored, thanks to Geoffrey Kinrade and Martin St. Pierre. This produced the 6-2 final, with the three stars going to Emmerton, Warn, and Anisin.
Back north to Nizhnekamsk, where Neftekhimik hosts Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg. Jakub Kovar and Alexander Sudnitsin are the young goalies. Yekaterinburg was first to score in the first period on a power play goal by Sami Lepisto, powered by Alexei Simakov and Anatoly Golyshev. Nizhnekamsk tied it with a Pyotr Khokhryakov goal, coming off of Alexander Yevseyenkov and Yaroslav Alshevsky. Avtomobilist took the lead back in the second period on an Alexei Mikhnov goal, guided in by Aaron Palushaj and Alexander Loginov. Yekaterinburg added on with a Mikhnov goal, his second of the game, made possible by Eduard Lewandowski and Alexander Bumagin. Avtomobilist extended the lead when Mikhnov completed his hat trick in the third period, with a lone assist by Bumagin. This held up for a 4-1 win, with the three stars given to Mikhnov, Kovar (36 for 37 in saves), and Bumagin.
West to Moscow, where Dynamo brings in Slovan Bratislava. Jaroslav Janus and Alexander Yeryomenko are given the starting nods. Moscow led off in the first period with a Kaspars Daugavins goal, courtesy of Konstantin Gorovikov. Dynamo added on with a Maxim Karpov goal, passed from Konstantin Volkov. Moscow extended the lead as Denis Kokarev scored, thanks to Denis Mosalyov. Dynamo padded the lead on another Karpov goal, fueled by Volkov and Filip Novak. Moscow kept going with an Alexei Tsvetkov power play goal in the second period, powered by Kokarev and Dmitry Vishnevsky. Bratislava got on the board with a Tomas Netik goal, made possible by Rok Ticar and Ziga Jeglic. Slovan pulled closer on an Ivan Baranka power play goal, helped along by Michal Sersen and Netik. Dynamo shot back in the third period on a Daugavins goal, with a lone assist by Novak. Moscow iced it at 7-2 with a Martins Karsums goal, with the help of Karpov. The three stars of the game were Karpov, Daugavins, and Kokarev, while Volkov, Netik, and Novak were given the honorable mentions.
Finally, Vityaz Podolsk hosts Dinamo Minsk. Danny Taylor and Harri Sateri are the masked men. Podolsk started in the first period with a Maxim Afinogenov goal, assisted by Alexei Makeyev and Alexei Semenov. Minsk tied it with a Matt Ellison goal, courtesy of Ryan Vesce and Ilya Shinkevich. Vityaz took the lead on a Makeyev goal, coming off of Alexander Kucheryavenko. Dinamo tied it on a Vesce power play goal, powered by Ellison and Nick Bailen. Minsk pulled ahead with a Jonathan Cheechoo goal, fueled by Alexei Kalyuzhny and Bailen. Podolsk tied it in the second period on a Kucheryavenko goal, guided in by Konstantin Klimontov. Dinamo took the lead on an Ellison goal, helped along by Vesce and Charles Linglet. Minsk won 5-3 with a third period Paul Szczechura empty net goal, set up by Cheechoo and Kalyuzhny. The three stars went to Ellison, Vesce, and Kucheryavenko, while Makeyev, Bailen, Cheechoo, and Kalyuzhny get the honorable mentions.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.