Spectacular away win for CSKA Moscow

18 Jan 2013 | Dennis Mende

In the six KHL games on Friday the Russians showed their class against the foreign teams. Of five international games, only Donbass gained a surprise.

Eastern Conference leaders Avangard Omsk gained the expected win against league newcomers Lev Prague but the 4-0 is by far too high considering what happened on the ice. Alexander Frolov opened the score for the hosts already at 06:47 but afterwards the guests from the Czech Republic took over the initiative. Still they failed to score in the middle period despite a clear advantage in chances. In the last 20 minutes Alexander Perezhogin and Evgeny Mozer made everything clear for Omsk before Tomas Zaborsky made everything clear with an empty netter at 57:58. Avangard goalie Karri Rämö really deserved his shutout with a total of 39 (!) saves.

Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk kept their playoff dream alive by defeating Slovan Bratislava at home. Anton Krysanov brought the hosts in front early in the match. At 34:26 Milan Kytnar scored the not undeserved equalizer for the Slovakians but Igor Skorokhodov restored the Yugra lead with just 13 seconds left in the period. In an even third period Slovan took a late timeout and then pulled out their goalie for an additional attacker but the result was not the wished but the decision in favour of Yugra through Anton Krysanov with 20 seconds left on the clock.

WIth a demonstration of their strength CSKA Moscow conquered the lead in Tarasov Division after beating Kazakh side Barys Astana on the road with 8-1. Sergei Shirokov, Igor Radulov and Evgeny Ryasensky made everything clear for the guests from the capital already in the first period before Janis Sprukts even made it 4-0 at 23:23. Just 23 seconds later Nigel Dawes scored the consolation goal for Barys but the pain was not yet over for the hosts. Niklas Persson, Vladimir Zharkov, Ilya Zubov and Igor Radulov with his second of the day made it a seven-goal win.

Lokomotiv Yaroslavl stay couldn't stop their recent negative trend and the team also lost on the road against underdogs Spartak Moscow. Although Yegor Averin put the guests in front at the start of the second period, home side Spartak found a fast reaction with three consecutive goals, scored by Nikolai Bushuyev (2) and Nikita Shchitov until "half time". Again Yegor Averin - this time shorthanded - cut the lead for Lokomotiv before Vyacheslav Kozlov and Anatoly Nikontsev won the match for Spartak in the last 20 minutes.

For Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod today's away win against Dinamo Riga was very valuable in the fight for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Although the Latvian hosts tied the match three times, it wasn't enough for a single point. Maxim Potapov, Mikhail Varnakov and Vladimir Malenkikh brought Torpedo in front while twice.Paul Szczechura and Martins Karsums answered for Dinamo. A power play goal by Martin Thörnberg at 36:36 turned out to be decisive for the guests. Despite playing without their goalie in the last minute, Riga couldn't change the outcome of the game anymore.

Donbass Donetsk were the only foreign team to gain a win today and were rewarded with the return to the playoff spots in the West. On home ice they beat Atlant Moscow Oblast through goals by Randy Robitaille, Denis Kochetkov and Sergei Varlamov. Donbass goalie Christopher Holt made 29 saves for a shutout.