Good day for underdogs

Metallurg Novokuznetsk - Sibir Novosibirsk 3-2

Last year Metallurg Novokuznetsk missed the playoffs in the East significantly. This year though one of the poorest teams in the league - especially compared to the other Russain participants - has big ambitions. Their season opener which was also their home debut, ended positively for them against their conference rivals Sibir Novosoibirsk - last year's playoff surprise in the East. The start though belonged to the guests from Siberia. Metallurg goalie Hovinen had already several big saves before he was beaten by Jonas Enlund after not even five minutes after a shot by his team mate Jori Lehterä was deflected. Again Enlund had another major opportunity when he hit the goal post before Metallurg managed to find into the game and were rewarded with the equalizer when Tukka Mänytlä - at 15:45 - scored from the blue line just six seconds after their power play started.

An improved Novokuznetsk team even ran away with a two-goal lead after the middle period when Nikita Vyglazov ended a 2-on-1 power play on his own and Yegor Martinov scored one from the blue line after a pass by Kurtis MacLean. A bunch of penalties for Metallurg brought Sibir back with the 3-2 in power play early in the third period - Kristian Kudroc' shot from the slot was deflected to Jonas Enlund who gave a brilliant cross pass to Jarno Koskiranta who fired the puck into the wide open net at 45:36. Despite best opportunities and playing with an additional attacker and an empty net in the last 90 seconds, Sibir failed to score the equalizer and had to leave all three points in Novokuznetsk.

Atlant Moscow Oblast - Spartak Moscow 0-2

An extremly strong performance by recently signed goalie Jeff Glass - who joined Spartak this summer after playing the last year with Eastern rivals Sibir Novosibirsk - was the key for a first exclamation mark of a Moscow team that ended last season only as second last in Western Conference. In the end of the day Glass earned the first shutout of the young KHL season with a total of 37 saves. An entertaining and even first period with slightly better opportunities for home side Atlant stayed scoreless before guests Spartak were able to get the lead with their second power play of the game - Janne Niskala had received two minutes for hooking. A nice combination between Matt Anderson and Rastislav Spirko on the left wing ended with the puck entering the Atlant net throiugh the left bottom corner - no chance for the also strong playing Galimov in the home side's net. In the following minutes Spartak failed several times to extend their lead before a stick holding penalty against Valery Vasilyev almost brought Atlant onto the scoreboard and changed the momentum.  

The third period started with negative news for both teams when first Atlant's Mikhail Glukhov hurt his head when he crashed into the boards after a failed check attempt before just 20 seconds later Spartak's Valery Vasilyev was checked hard from behind into the boards which made him leave the match immidiately with a painful hand injury. With around 10 minutes left to go till the end of regulation Atlant intensified their scoring efforts but failed again and again in front of Jeff Glass. On the other side Tom Wandell missed the decision when he only hit the side netting after a fast counter attack. This was done better by Spirko who blocked a shot in his own zone before he scored the 2-0 himself into the empty net at 59:42 - Atlant goalie Galimov had left his net just half a minute before.

Dinamo Riga - Dinamo Minsk 2-1

In the duel of two KHL neighbours with more shadow than light in their last campaign, especially Latvian side Dinamo Riga were under pressure before their home opener against Belarussian Dinamo Minsk as they finnished last season on an for this franchise unaccaptable last place in Western Conference. The improved Riga team was rewarded for their efforts already at 01:29 when Gints Meija used a rebound to beat Kevin Lalande from short distance. Just eight minutes later Kyle Wilson doubled the lead in power play after a precise pass from behind the net by Krisjanis Redlihs. Despite the small advantage Riga had a calm evening for a long time. Only in the second half of the middle period Minsk started to play more aggressively. Jacob Micflikier used a long puck controll by the guests at 46:25 with his first goal already in his KHL debut to get Minsk onto the scoreboard. In the following minutes the Latvians failed to score the decision despite having good chances before the guests from Belarus pulled their goalie for another attacker which was almost rewarded with the late equalizer. In the end a lucky but not undeserved three point win for Dinamo Riga was the result of a hard working day. 

Tweets by @eurohockey