KHL
Avangard – Spartak 4:1 (end) | Barys – Medvescak 1:3 (end) | Avtomobilist – Dinamo Minsk 2:0 (end)
Traktor – Salavat Yulaev 5:3 (end) | Neftekhimik – Metallurg M 3:5 (end)
final
HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk
3:5 (1:0, 1:3, 1:2)
Metallurg Magnitogorsk
Thursday 16.01.2014, 16:00 • Neftekhimik Stadium • KHL
     
    Welcome. Game starts at 16:00.
     
    Good afternoon and welcome to Nizhnekamsk for the last of today's KHL matches, and it's between the hosts Neftekhimik and their visitors Metallurg Magnitigorsk. Metallurg are big favourites to win today, but Neftekhimik have already shown that they can upset the big sides.
     
    Neftekhimik are sitting in 12th place of the Eastern Conference and with 47 points have all but lost all hope of making the playoffs. Metallurg on the other hand are in third place of the same conference with 88 points, and they will be looking for another win here today.
     
    Metallurg won the first match between these two sides this season 4-3 in Magnitigorsk.
     
    Starting lineups:

    HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk: Sudnitsyn (Dalton)- Romanov, Kosmachyov, Sexton, Koukal, Netik- Berezin, Mamashev, Yakimov, Taratukhin, Trunev- Kurbatov, Shulakov, Alshevskiy, Khokhryakov, Kulikov- Mnikhovich, Mnatsyan, Rybin, Polygalov, Zdunov

    Metallurg Magnitogorsk: Koshechkin (Pechurskiy)- Antipin, Biryukov, Mozyakin, Kovar, Zaripov- Metlyuk, Tereschenko, Timkin, Kazionov, Pare- Ibragimov, Malenkykh, Potekhin, Brent, Platonov- Grigorenko, Khabarov, Osala, Malinovskiy, Kamenev

    Referees: Zakharov, Komarov, Maytak, Pronskyh.
     
    We will now have the national anthems of Russia and Tatarstan and then we'll be underway!
     
    00:01
    Game started.
     
    00:18
    Early half chance for Metallurg, Danis Zaripov receives the puck unmarked on the left side of the crease but the angle is too tight
     
    01:05
    Bogdan Yakimov one times it looking to go upstairs on Koshechkin, but it's too high
     
    02:01
    Petr Khokhryakov now for the hosts skates through on the right, shoots between the defender's legs but Koshechkin is there
     
    03:51
    We have the first penalty of the game, Jan Kovar for holding has put Neftekhimik on the powerplay
     
    04:35
    Yakimov! Hard skate to the net but he's denied by Koshechkin's pads up close!
     
    05:40
    Yet another penalty against Metallurg already, Yaroslav Khabarov for high sticking has been called
     
    05:51
    Kovar is now back for his team and it's a 5 on 4 powerplay for Neftekhimik for just under two minutes
     
    06:37
    Goal for Neftekhimik! MAXIM TRUNEV with a great move flips the puck between two defenders and with a hard wrist shot beats Koshechkin at his right post, powerplay goal and it's 1-0! Assists- Renat Mamashev and Andrey Taratukhin
     
    09:40
    Metallurg are now back at full strength, that penalty against Khabarov turned out to be for four minutes
     
    10:01
    Scramble on the Neftekhimik crease and they just manage to clear!
     
    11:05
    Icing from Metallurg. They're yet to really get into the game
     
    11:48
    Polygalov shoots hopefully from the left hand boards and Koshechkin easily turns it wide with his pads
     
    13:30
    Both teams are trying to play pacy hockey but losing the puck too often. Viktor Antipin tries his luck from way out and it gets deflected out of play
     
    16:01
    Metallurg just starting to control the puck better but are as yet not creating chances
     
    16:10
    Dmitriy Kazionov shoots weakly into Sudnitsyn who freezes for a faceoff
     
    18:10
    We're approaching the end of a first period which has lacked many clear cut opportunities
     
    18:51
    Biryukov slaps it from the blue line and Sudnitsyn sees it all the way
     
    19:30
    Last 30 seconds of the period now
     
    19:31
    Neftekhimik go offside
     
    20:00
    1st period finished.
     
    Statistics after the first period-

    Shots (on target)- 18 (12)- 16 (11)
    Faceoffs- 7-5
    Hits- 5-1
    Penalty minutes- 0-6
     
    20:01
    Start of 2nd period.
     
    20:51
    First shot of the second period is from Biryukov who hammers it from the point, but it's low and into the goalkeeper
     
    21:44
    Trunev cuts sharply inside and wrists it only into Koshechkin's glove
     
    22:28
    Evgeniy Kurbatov gets a hold of the loose puck by the left hand boards, spins and shoots immediately and forces the goalkeeper to cover up
     
    23:00
    Goal for Metallurg! Oscar Oskala makes a simply outstanding pass with the backhand behind the net and FRANCIS PARE is on the crease to put the puck home, beautiful goal and it'a 1-1! Assists- Oscar Oskala
     
    23:51
    Goal for Metallurg! This game has changed dramatically within a few seconds! RENAT IBRAGIMOV with an unstoppable slapshot form the point goes top shelf and it's already 2-1! Assists- Jan Kovar and Yaroslav Khabarov
     
    25:02
    Khokhryakov places the puck into the goalkeeper's glove with a low wrister. The hosts are looking a bit shellshocked now after they were seemingly in control
     
    26:37
    Vladimir Malinovskiy for tripping has given Neftekhimik a powerplay opportunity for two minutes
     
    27:05
    Vitaliy Shulakov bares down on goal, wrists it high if not powerfully and Koshechkin is alert
     
    28:37
    Metallurg are now back to full strength
     
    30:09
    Andrey Taratukhin is blocked by his own player on front of him and his shot which could have been dangerous comes to nothing
     
    30:28
    Powerplay time for Metallurg now. For holding Kulikov has been penalised
     
    32:10
    Brilliant tic tac passing from Zaripov and Kovar behind the Neftekhimik net, although the attempt on goal gets deflected out of play
     
    32:28
    Kulikov is now back on the ice for the hosts
     
    32:58
    Vladislav Kamenev breaks towards the left hand post where his drive is stopped by Sudnitsyn. Tim Brent in the aftermath landed a clean punch on a Neftekhimik defender however, and he's been sent to the penalty box
     
    33:13
    Netik! Outpaces the Metallurg defenders, backhands while off balance and Koshechkin gathers
     
    34:26
    Goal for Neftekhimik! BOGDAN YAKIMOV gobbles up a loose puck after a slapshot was blocked and one times it past Kosheckhin, powerplay goal and it's a tied game at 2-2! Assists- Maxim Trunev and Renat Mamashev
     
    36:16
    Goal for Metallurg! Perfect response from the visitors! SERGEY MOZYAKIN sees the far post open from the right flank and he sends it under Sudnitsyn and into the corner, 3-2! Assists- Danis Zaripov and Jan Kovar
     
    37:31
    Pare sends a great pass into the crease where Oskala is skating into, but as he goes to shoot his stick snaps in two!
     
    37:50
    Neftekhimik have now decided to swap their goalkeepers, Matt Dalton has taken the place of Alexander Sudnitsyn
     
    39:00
    We're in the last minute of an action packed second period
     
    39:28
    Tereschenko wrists a hard shot only just wide of the left hand post!
     
    40:00
    2nd period finished.
     
    Statistics after the first two periods-

    Shots (on target)- 40 (25)- 38 (22)
    Faceoffs- 18-14
    Hits- 7-3
    Penalty minutes- 2-10
     
    Right at the end of the second period Denis Platonov for checking was handed a two minute minor, so Neftekhimik will start the third period on the powerplay
     
    40:01
    Start of 3rd period.
     
    41:01
    Yakimov on a fast rush shoots the puck towards the far post at speed, but can't keep it on target
     
    42:00
    Neftekhimik couldn't create much on that powerplay and their opponents are already back to full strength
     
    43:11
    Platonov shields the puck well, from standing on almost one leg gets an attempt away and Dalton makes a solid pad save
     
    45:22
    Kosheckhin hasn't had much to do in this period yet, Neftekhimik are struggling to finish off their attacks with shots on goal
     
    45:30
    Icing from Metallurg
     
    45:48
    Long pass searching for the onrushing Evgeniy Timkin who would have been released one on one, but the pass is too strong and it's icing
     
    47:32
    Metallurg now have a powerplay for themselves, for tripping Yakimov is on his way to the penalty box
     
    47:47
    Tomas Netik skates away on a shorthanded breakaway, goes almost one on one with Kosheckhin but he's forced out wide and the shot in the end is a weak one!
     
    49:18
    Great glove save by Matt Dalton! Mozyakin feeds the awating Danis Zaripov who rips it first time looking for the right hand corner but he's denied!
     
    49:32
    Neftekhimik are now once again at full strength
     
    50:08
    Polygalov! At first he ends up in the net with Koshechkin, and then his wrist shot from a promising position goes off target!
     
    50:52
    Goal for Metallurg! The puck is sent back to the point where SERGEY TERESCHENKO is waiting and with a heavy slapshot into the roof of the net he makes it 4-2! Assists- Evgeniy Grigorenko
     
    51:15
    Goal for Metallurg! Just like in the second period they've scored two quick fire goals in a row! JAN KOVAR takes control of the puck on the crease and wrists it off the underside of the crossbar and in, 5-2!
     
    53:12
    Goal for Neftekhimik! Scramble on the crease and Koshechkin just can't find where the puck is, TOMAS NETIK can though and he pokes home to make it 5-3! Assists- Pavel Kulikov and Dan Sexton
     
    54:30
    Metallurg should have sealed the deal with those two goals but Neftekhimik just won't lie down, have they got time to make Metallurg even more nervous?
     
    55:05
    Mozyakin has a low attempt deflected and it goes out of play. If there is going to be another goal in this game it could change everything
     
    57:24
    Neftekhimik are trying to press hard but the away defence is so far clearing their lines well
     
    57:30
    Icing now from Metallurg
     
    58:51
    Icing from the visitors again
     
    59:00
    We're now into the final minute of regulation time
     
    60:00
    Game over.
     
    It's Metallurg's day with a hard fought 5-3 victory over Neftekhimik! The hosts didn't give up right until the very end, but their opponents today had just too much for them. They even took they lead in the first period before in the final 40 minutes Metallurg's class told, but it was an thoroughly entertaining game. Thanks for following our KHL coverage today, until next time! (18:10:24)
    Commentary by

    Shaun Nicolaides

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 7. Trunev (Mamashev, Taratukhin), 35. Yakimov (Trunev, Mamashev), 54. Netik (Kulikov, Sexton) – 23. Pare (Oskala), 24. Ibragimov (Kovar, Khabarov), 37. Mozyakin (Zaripov, Kovar), 51. Tereschenko (Grigorenko), 52. Kovar

    HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk: Sudnitsyn (Dalton)- Romanov, Kosmachyov, Sexton, Koukal, Netik- Berezin, Mamashev, Yakimov, Taratukhin, Trunev- Kurbatov, Shulakov, Alshevskiy, Khokhryakov, Kulikov- Mnikhovich, Mnatsyan, Rybin, Polygalov, Zdunov
    Metallurg Magnitogorsk: Koshechkin (Pechurskiy)- Antipin, Biryukov, Mozyakin, Kovar, Zaripov- Metlyuk, Tereschenko, Timkin, Kazionov, Pare- Ibragimov, Malenkykh, Potekhin, Brent, Platonov- Grigorenko, Khabarov, Osala, Malinovskiy, Kamenev
    Referees: Zakharov, Komarov, Maytak, Pronskyh
    Attendance: 4500