Magnitogorsk Special Teams Thrive in 2-1 Win

The Matchup:

Metallurg 

Magnitogorsk 

(5-0-3-2)

@

Sibir

Novosibirsk

(5-3-2-2)

Players You May Recognize

None.  I didn't recognize a single player on the Siberians.  I looked up their captain (Jonas Enlund) and he was a 2006 Thrashers draft pick that never panned out.

Recap

Coming off of a 2-1 shootout loss to CSKA Moscow, head coach Paul Maurice decided to change up his first line looking for more offense.  Evgeni Malkin started the game centering Sergei Mozyakin and Nikolai Kulemin (instead of Denis Platonov).  Offense could not be found though in a very quick paced first period.  Both teams turned the puck over frequently as shifts often turned into wind sprints back and forth down the ice.  Malkin was able to draw a tripping penalty, but Magnitogorsk could not capitalize on the powerplay and the period ended scoreless thanks to solid goaltending at both ends.

Oleg Tverdovsky interview during the 1st intermission.

The second period started at a much slower pace as both teams generally kept to the perimeter.  Magnitogorsk was rewarded as soon as they tested the slot area as Mikhail Yakubov and Pavel Zdunov broke through the defense.  Yakubov passed to Zdunov skating through the right faceoff circle and Zdunov ripped a wrist shot past Novosibirsk goalie Sergei Gaiduchenko, who could not cover the post quickly enough.

Magnitogorsk drew a penalty shortly after taking the lead but could not capitalize on the opportunity.  Novosibirsk took advantage of returning to 5 on 5 though as captain Jonas Enlund sprung Stepan Sannikov on a breakaway beginning at the red line.  Sannikov deked to the backhand and beat Ahonen high over his glove to tie the game at 1.  Novosibirsk had another quick chance entering the zone with a 2 on 1, but Sergei Gonchar broke it up and took a holding penalty in the process.  Magnitogorsk killed the penalty without a problem and the period ended with a 1-1 tie.

With heavy bags under his eyes, Maurice juggled
lines like a pro.

Maurice opted for more line changes to begin the 3rd period, moving Mats Zuccarello to the top line with Malkin and Kulemin.  Zuccarello drew an early 3rd period powerplay for Magnitogorsk as the line immediately paid dividends.  Metallurg took the lead 2-1 as Zuccarello found a wide open Evgeni Malkin in the corner behind the net.  With all of the time in the world, Malkin threaded a pass between two sticks and right to Nikolai Kulemin on the crease, where the puck was tapped in for what would be the game winning goal.

The second half of the third period was a blur (literally, because the online feed kept cutting out).  Magnitogorsk killed two more penalties, including one in the final two minutes when defenseman Evgeni Biryukov was given a 2 minute minor and 10 minute misconduct for a headshot.  With Malkin centering the penalty kill in the last minute, Magnitogorsk held on to win the game.  Kulemin's powerplay goal and numerous clutch penalty kills were the major keys to their victory.

Final Score:  Metallurg wins 2-1.  

Magnitogorsk improves to 6-0-3-2 and Novosibirsk drops to 5-3-2-3.

Player Notes

Hey Bylsma, try Malkin on the PK.

Evgeni Malkin - Geno finished the game 17 for 29 in the faceoff circle, which included many key defensive zone wins.  He had 9 shots and 1 assist in 21:21 of ice time.  Despite his clear chemistry with Mozyakin, he looked very strong with Kulemin and Zuccarello, especially as Zuccarello's speed created more room in the 3rd period.  His overall shooting percentage is horrendous right now, but I imagine that will inevitably fix itself.

Sergei Gonchar - Sarge had 2 shots on net and a holding penalty in 19:49 of ice time.  The penalty was a smart one since it stopped a 2 on 1 where he was the last man back.  Aside from that, Gonchar was not very noticeable in general.

Cal O'Reilly - O'Reilly eventually inherited Mozyakin and Platonov as linemates from Malkin but showed little chemistry with them, especially Platonov.  There was really nothing else of note in his game today.

Next Game:  10/6, 6am EST vs Metallurg Novokuznetsk

Links:

Go to onhockey.ru for all of your streaming needs.  They are excellent and add feeds as they find them.

If you want highlights for the games, check out http://www.youtube.com/user/KHLofficialvideo.  

Lockout Podcast #3: Blame Fleury!

Meesh and Adam continue to find an hour's worth of hockey topics each week despite the ongoing NHL lockout.  The podcast begins with talk about the CBA meetings, transitions to player movement around Europe, and ends with the blogger vs. mainstream media battle.  Other topics of note: Malkin's KHL performance, the whereabouts of Sidney Crosby, and throwing Marc-Andre Fleury under a bus.

UPDATE: After just 2 games, Alexander Semin has signed with a KHL team.  Take away everything good we said about him.
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CSKA Outlasts Magnitogorsk in a Shootout

The Matchup:

Metallurg 

Magnitogorsk 

(5-0-2-2)

@

CSKA

Moscow

(5-2-0-4)

Players You May Recognize

Ilya Bryzgalov (did not play), Mikhail Grabovski, Pavel Datsyuk, Alexander Radulov, Oleg Kvasha.
Also, Mats Zuccarello apparently joined Metallurg 2 games ago, but I missed that completely (we'll say lost in translation).  

Recap

Metallurg Magnitogorsk hosted CSKA Moscow and one of the KHL's best and feistiest forwards in Alexander Radulov.  Magnitogorsk entered the matchup on a 3 game winning streak led by Cal O'Reilly (2nd in the KHL in assists with 9) and Sergei Mozyakin (2nd in goals with 6 and 4th in points with 11).  Meanwhile, CSKA countered with Radulov who entered the game 3rd in points (12) and leading the league in penalty minutes (50).  Magnitogorsk started Ari Ahonen in net while Moscow went with Ratislav Stana, leaving Ilya Bryzgalov as a scratch.

CSKA got off to a quick start, taking a 1-0 lead just 1:32 into the game with a goal from Vladimir Zharkov assisted by Alexander Guskov.  Unfortunately, it took me the first 7 minutes to get the game streaming, so I do not have a better description than that.  Here's what we missed, translated from Russian:

"the goal is not got!"

Both goalies looked excellent midway through the period and each made multiple saves on point blank chances from the crease.  The skating started to open up late in the 1st and Evgeni Malkin went to work, first taking the puck on a semi-breakaway that was stopped by Stana, and then setting up two great chances for his linemates in the slot.  CSKA took a hooking penalty in the effort to stop Malkin's line, but goaltender Stana was up to the task as CSKA killed off the penalty. With only two minutes left in the period, Alexander Radulov was taken awkwardly into the boards, which sparked some aggression and shoving, but no goals or penalties.  Radulov wouldn't even miss a shift.

Cal O'Reilly...the KHL star?

The second period was rather quiet for the first 9 minutes.  Oleg Tverdovsky hit the post on a chance to tie the game, but that was the only drama early on.  As the game approached the midway point, Metallurg finally got on the board when Nikolai Kulemin one-timed a Cal O'Reilly pass at Stana.  The puck bounced off of Stana's pads, straight up into the air, and trickled past the goal line to tie the game.

Both teams returned to their quiet pace of the 2nd aside from a scrum centering around another Radulov, Igor.  Igor Radulov took a run at Sergei Mozyakin on the boards.  Mozyakin was fine, but teammate Sergei Bernatsky took offense to the hit and proceeded to attack Radulov.  Pavel Datsyuk got involved in the fun as he shoved Bernatsky's head down while he was on top of Radulov.  The players were pulled apart and only Bernatsky received a penalty in the end.  Magnitogorsk killed it off and the end of the 2nd period arrived, tied at 1.

Two minutes for Gonchar to feel shame.

Metallurg drew a powerplay early in the 3rd period, but it was negated as Sergei Gonchar took a tripping penalty while on the powerplay.  After each team succeeded in killing their penalties, the game tightened up and the pace dropped remarkably.  Aside from 2 or 3 Malkin offensive zone turnovers, the 3rd period was simply nothing to write about as the teams went to overtime.

Overtime was easily the most dramatic period of the game as Magnitogorsk's Justin Hodgman took a 4 minute double minor for high sticking to put CSKA on the powerplay.  A minute into the penalty kill, Metallurg's Mikhail Yakubov drew a tripping penalty on Pavel Datsyuk off of a faceoff which resulted in 3 on 3 play.  Neither team could utilize the open ice of 3 on 3 and CSKA returned to the powerplay when Datsyuk exited the penalty box.  Magnitogorsk held on for the rest of the overtime and the teams proceeded to a shootout.

The shootout began with CSKA and Pavel Datsyuk, who shot wide.  Sergei Mozyakin went next and was stopped.  Alexander Radulov was the 2nd CSKA shooter and he was stopped on a wrist shot.  Evgeni Malkin went 2nd for Metallurg, took the puck wide, but could not get it around Ilya Proskuryakov, who replaced Ratislav Stana at some point prior to the shootout (but I have no clue when).  Oleg Kvasha was the 3rd shooter for CSKA and he beat goalie Ari Ahonen 5-hole.  With all of the pressure on his small shoulders, Mats Zuccarello deked Proskuryakov completely out of position and tied the shootout.

In an odd difference from the NHL, after the first 3 rounds, the teams switched their shooting order and players were allowed to go again.  Therefore, Metallurg began with Mats Zuccarello, who tried the same move but lost the puck.  CSKA changed it up and went with Igor Radulov, who beat Ahonen high, blocker side and won the game for CSKA.

Malkin says something that gets Radulov's attention.

Final Score:  CSKA wins 2-1 (Shootout).  

Metallurg drops to 5-0-3-2 and CSKA Moscow improves to 5-3-0-4.

Player Notes

Evgeni Malkin - Geno played a season high 24:44 and frequently shifted between dynamic and nonexistent from shift to shift.  At times, Malkin and his linemates (Mozyakin and Platonov again) were unstoppable in the offensive zone as they cycled around the net and created chances around the slot.  However, the group committed quite a few turnovers which led to CSKA breakouts.  Malkin finished with 4 shots and went 15 for 29 in faceoffs, though he seemed to lose every big opportunity to Pavel Datsyuk in the offensive and defensive zones.  

Sergei Gonchar - Gonchar had a very quiet game though he also played a season high with 23:26  of ice time.  He had no shots and took an unnecessary tripping penalty while Magnitogorsk was on the powerplay.  The powerplay overall was very quiet as Gonchar could not get set up comfortably at the point.  He didn't play awful defensively, but his usual offensive output was not there today against CSKA.

Cal O'Reilly - O'Reilly added to his assist total amongst the league leaders with a perfect feed to Kulemin on the only Magnitogorsk goal.  Zuccarello joined his line in this game and it appears that these 3 will make an excellent second line.  O'Reilly's big negative at this point is he doesn't take enough shots and looks to pass first a little too frequently.

Malkin vs. Datsyuk...somehow, Geno lost this one.

Pavel Datsyuk - Datsyuk showed his usual strong vision throughout the game, though he did not have linemates that created for him as much as he is used to in the NHL.  He was a dismal 9 for 26 in faceoffs, quite possibly only winning in draws against Malkin.  On many offensive chances, he seemed to slow down and settle into a puck distributor role at the point instead of going deep into the zone.

Alexander Radulov - Without making a comment as to stereotypes, Radulov's effort looked simply wonderful in this game compared to his recent NHL play.  He was gritty and went hard on both the forecheck and backcheck.  He also received both powerplay and penalty kill time, acting quite responsibly on both.  As captain of CSKA, Radulov finished the game leading both teams with over 29 minutes of ice time and leading his own team with 4 shots.  He certainly made his presence felt in this game, though he did not get on the scoresheet.

Next Game:  10/4, 8am EST vs Sibir

Links:

Go to onhockey.ru for all of your streaming needs.  They are excellent and add feeds as they find them.