The mystery of the third period: Traktor continues to amaze in the Gagarin Cup

The first matches of the Gagarin Cup semifinals turned out to be eventful. On Monday, April 28, Traktor beat Dynamo Moscow at home (4:3), having won back from 0:2. Alexander Kadeikin scored two points for the hosts (1+1), and Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, Charles Robinson and Vasily Glotov each scored a goal. Jordan Weale scored a double for the visitors, Daniil Pylenkov scored another goal. A day earlier, Salavat Yulaev beat Lokomotiv 3-1 on the road. Danil Alalykin, Mikhail Naumenkov and Alexander Khmelevsky scored for the visitors. The only goal of the hosts was scored by Rushan Rafikov. Ufa goalkeeper Semyon Vyazovoy made two assists.

Another comeback

Chelyabinsk players are among the worst in the playoffs in the first period: in 12 matches, they scored only twice in the opening 20 minutes. Only Torpedo has less (one goal), which was delayed in the Gagarin Cup for four games. The semi—final series began for Traktor in the same style - the first leg of the meeting with Dynamo did not bring Benoit Groux's team goals, however, the Muscovites also started cautiously.

The guests did not shoot at the Tractor for almost 13 minutes — after this period they scored seven hits, one of which turned out to be a goal. Jordan Weale brought the Muscovites ahead from the finish. In the second period, the game gradually escalated. Three minutes after it started, Wil scored a double — after selecting partners in the wrong zone, he hit the puck into the net from the sharpest angle.

In response, the Chelyabinsk team gathered and gradually increased their momentum: by the end of the second period, they already had a significant playing advantage. Two and a half minutes before the end of the segment, Semyon Der-Arguchintsev reduced Traktor's gap by putting the puck into the corner with a neat throw. However, the episode turned out to be ambiguous: the hosts' attack started from their own zone, where Vladimir Tkachev may have violated the rules on Cedric Puckett — he hit the Canadian in the head with his elbow and left the Canadian on the ice until the end of the scoring combination.

But there is no one better than Traktor in the Gagarin Cup in terms of play in the third periods: taking into account today's match, Chelyabinsk scored 22 goals — with a margin more than the rest of the teams. Benoit Groux's team completed the meeting with Dynamo powerfully, scoring three goals and making another comeback.

In the 47th minute, Alexander Kadeikin equalized with a shot from the blue line. It is noteworthy that at that time the game was going on without pauses almost from the very beginning of the third period — six minutes and 21 seconds.

Anticipation of the final: what to expect in the third round of the Gagarin Cup

Dynamo and Lokomotiv look like the favorites of their semifinal pairings.

Less than two minutes later, Charles Robinson put Traktor ahead with a shot from behind the goal that sent the puck into the net from Dynamo goalkeeper Vladislav Podyapolsky. By that time, Chelyabinsk had a serious playing advantage — almost the entire third twenty minutes were spent in their attacks.

Dynamo managed to distinguish themselves only in the majority — Kadeikin earned the first elimination in the match. The author of Traktor's second goal was punished for tripping. The blue and white team took advantage of the only numerical advantage in the game: Daniil Pylenkov scored the first goal in the current playoffs - before that, the 24—year-old defender had scored six assists.

However, the Muscovites could not even make it to overtime — Traktor played too strong a stretch to let go of the victory. Vasily Glotov set the final score (4:3) with a smart hit from the blue line. But, of course, there are questions about Podjapolski, for whom the match was not so successful.

The second game of the series will be held in Chelyabinsk on April 30. The teams also faced each other in the last playoff draw, when Traktor had only four matches to win.

"Thanks to such series as with Avangard, we are growing"

Lokomotiv hockey player Artur Kayumov — about the victory in the seven-match confrontation with the Omsk club, the Radulov factor and difficulties in the third period

Without Livo

Salavat Yulaev took their top scorer, Joshua Livo, to the first match of the semifinal series. However, the Canadian was not included in the application. The rumors about the conflict were promptly denied by Ufa coach Viktor Kozlov.

— I hear rumors that I have some kind of conflict with Livo. I must say right away that there is no conflict. Josh has an injury that prevents him from playing. When he's ready, he'll play," the coach said in an interview with club media.

However, the absence of Livo (as well as Nathan Todd, who had been missing for three weeks) did not prevent Salavat Yulaev at all. The guests opened the scoring in the second minute of the first period — Danil Alalykin scored with a well-aimed throw from the face-off circle. By the way, he was assisted by 18-year—old striker Alexander Zharovsky, which is the first point in the KHL for a young hockey player. Goalkeeper Semyon Vyazovoy became another assistant.

After Alalykin's quick goal, the advantage was expected to pass to Lokomotiv. And Salavat Yulaev began to complicate the task with penalties: in the 14th minute, Scott Wilson was sent off for blocking, and in the 17th minute, Dinar Hafizullin was penalized with a small penalty for tripping.

The third consecutive removal received by Zharovsky at the beginning of the second period was fatal. Lokomotiv finally realized the majority — Rushan Rafikov scored in the 25th minute. The defender threw powerfully from the blue line, and the puck ricocheted into the goal.

The second period as a whole was dictated by Lokomotiv — the score on shots on target at the end of the twenty minutes was 11-1 in favor of Yaroslavl. But it didn't help them — they couldn't get ahead.

But Salavat succeeded. In the 54th minute, defender Mikhail Naumenkov took advantage of the confusion of the Yaroslavl defense and almost without resistance accurately threw at the goal. Separately, Alalykin should be noted in this goal — it was he who gathered the entire defense of Lokomotiv, and then gave an assist in the fall.

Anticipation of the final: what to expect in the third round of the Gagarin Cup

Dynamo and Lokomotiv look like the favorites of their semifinal pairings.

20 seconds before the siren, Ufa put an end to it — they caught Lokomotiv when he replaced the goalkeeper with the sixth fielder for the final assault. Striker Alexander Khmelevsky scored, accurately throwing from his zone at an empty goal. It is noteworthy that Vyazovoy became the author of the assist again — the goalkeeper not only reliably defended the goal, but also assisted.

In the remaining time, the Locomotive did not have time to do anything. The next match will take place on April 29 in Yaroslavl.