Hawks win Sunday’s big meeting, Ak Bars continues to rise. October 27 round-up

The top action on Sunday saw Avangard take on Metallurg – and after a 2-2 tie the home team won it in overtime. Also in the east, Ak Bars defeated Admiral for the second time in three days and, in the process, climbs from eighth to third in the standings. Lokomotiv beat Dinamo Minsk 3-2 to enhance its position at the top, Vityaz came from behind to win at Torpedo and Amur saw its goalless streak extend past 180 minutes in a 0-3 loss at Severstal.Hawks hit back to beat MetallurgAvangard Omsk 3 Metallurg Magnitogorsk 2 OT (1-1, 1-1, 0-0, 1-0)After an early-season loss in Magnitogorsk, Avangard claimed revenge today after a hard-fought victory over the defending champion. The home team secured the services of Nikolai Prokhorkin and Alex Grant during the week, but neither were available today. However, Ryan Spooner returned to the Hawks’ offense, while Magnitka welcomed back forward Igor Geraskin.Another player making a welcome return for Metallurg in recent weeks is young forward Roman Kantserov, who missed the start of the season due to injury. He opened the scoring here in the fourth minute. That was his first goal in only his second appearance of the campaign.Avangard responded well. Spooner should have score in he seventh minute, then Ilya Nabokov denied Sergei Boikov before the first power play of the game offered Metallurg some respite. However, the penalty kill worked well and the conclusion of the opening stanza saw the home team draw level. Linden Vey won the face-off, Semyon Chistyakov set up Reid Boucher and the American’s one-timer was too good for Nabokov.The second period began with a rush of chances at both ends. Danila Yurov and Denis Zernov threatened for Metallurg, Ilya Reingardt and Alexander Yaremchuk went close for Avangard. But it was the visitor that went back in front in the 25th minute when Yurov did well to convert a rebound. Avangard got its first power play midway through the frame and turned it into a tying goal. Chistyakov beat Nabokov at the second attempt.That was the end of the scoring in regulation. Both teams played to win inside 60 minutes, but neither could take any of the scoring chances they created and the game went to overtime. Both goalies, Nabokov and Khomchenko, made over 40 saves.Yurov had a great chance to win it with a one-on-one break at the start of the extras. He was halted by a foul, and Nikita Mikhailis stepped up for a penalty shot that failed to beat Khomchenko. Reprieved, Omsk took its chance a couple of minutes later when Vey raced clear on a delayed penalty and beat Nabokov to win the game.Comeback win for VityazTorpedo Nizhny Novgorod 1 Vityaz Moscow Region 2 (1-0, 0-1, 0-1)Friday’s loss in Ufa was Torpedo’s first reverse in regulation for 10 games. Back on home ice, Igor Larionov’s men welcomed a Vityaz team that had lost three of its previous four and was looking to get back into playoff contention.The visitor had not allowed a first period goal in its last 10 games. Today, though, Torpedo scored after 35 seconds. On the first shift, Vladislav Firstov played the puck deep into the zone, Maxim Letunov steered it to Nikita Artamonov and the youngster caught Maxim Dorozhko napping in the visitor’s net.That fast start frustrated Vityaz’s hopes of denying Torpedo possession and grinding out a result. A revised strategy based around stretch passes did not cause much trouble for the home defense and Torpedo’s first line looked the likeliest source of the next goal.However, Vityaz defended well and the score was unchanged until late in the middle frame. Then, in the 37th minute, the visitor tied the game. Despite some extended Torpedo pressure, Vityaz got clear and Ivan Chekhovich set up Dmitry Buchelnikov for a decisive shot past Ivan Bocharov.In the third period the puck shuttled from end to end but neither team was able to assert much control over the play. Scoring chances were few until the 55th minute when Andrei Chivilyov’s pass from behind the net set up Stanislav Yarovoi on the slot. That made it 2-1 and, despite a late surge from Torpedo, was enough to win the game.Ak Bars cruises past AdmiralAk Bars Kazan 4 Admiral Vladivostok 2 (0-0, 2-0, 2-2)What a difference a couple of wins can make. Two days ago, Ak Bars went into its first game against Admiral lying eighth in the Eastern Conference. Now, after back-to-back wins over the Sailors, Anvar Gatiyatulin’s team is up to third place. And it’s Admiral down in eighth, two points clear of ninth-placed Lada.After a goalless first period produced little memorable action, Ak Bars got on top in the second. Two goals in 45 seconds swung the game firmly in the home team’s favor. Semyon Koshelev got the first, followed by Nikita Lyamkin. The defenseman’s shot through traffic brought up 100 career points in the KHL.The third period began with Dmitrij Jaskin making it 3-0 when he put away the rebound from a Kirill Semyonov shot. Then Koshelev claimed his second of the game in the 44th minute, padding the lead and chasing Andrei Mishurov from the visitor’s net. Vasily Demchenko took his place.The change of goalie brought something of a change of fortune. A penalty on Jaskin saw Jack Rodewald claim a power play goal. Then, in the 53rd minute, Alexander Shevchenko brought Admiral back to 2-4. When Timur Bilyalov was penalized in the 55th minute and the visitor had another chance on the PP, an unlikely fightback flickered into view. However, Ak Bars killed the penalty and closed out the win.Dinamo’s late rally falls short in YaroslavlLokomotiv Yaroslavl 3 Dinamo Minsk 2 (2-0, 1-1, 0-1)Table-topping Loko reeled off another victory despite Dinamo’s efforts to fight back in Yaroslavl. The home team eased to a 3-0 lead with 20 minutes played, but the Belarusians kept battling and got it back to 2-3 before running out of time.The home team made a good start and Alexander Radulov opened the scoring in the 12th minute. He converted the first power play of the game to add to move to 712 career points in the league.After allowing a goal from one of the most experienced and productive forwards in the KHL, Dinamo goalie Andrei Tikhomirov was then beaten by one of its newest hot-shots. Yegor Surin, 18, claimed his first goal at this level last week. Today he doubled Loko’s lead and potted his third in four games. There’s a long way to go, but this player – born in 2006 – could be one to watch for the future.The second period began with another goal for Lokomotiv. Just 16 seconds after the restart, Andrei Sergeyev’s strike chased Tikhomirov from the net in favor of Yegor Velmakin. The incoming goalie put in a big shift, making 16 saves during his time on the ice, after Dinamo had allowed three goals from 11 shots previously.With greater confidence at the back, the visitor began to probe on offense as well. Late in the middle frame, Vitaly Pinchuk’s power play goal made things interesting. Then, in the third period, the Bison continued to press and made it a one-goal game thanks to Nicolas Meloche in the 59th minute. That set up an uncomfortable finish for Lokomotiv but the home team held on to secure the win.