Kovalchuk vs. Ovechkin – 1:0

23 Sep 2012 | Didzis Rudmanis / Dennis Mende

Today Kontinental Hockey League saw a duel between two of the very best players of the world – Ilya Kovalchuk and Alexander Ovechkin. Both SKA St.Petersburg and Dynamo Moscow being among Gagarin Cup contenders, the game turned out to be a real treat for the fans, with SKA celebrating a 3:1 victory.

Already in the middle of the first period SKA managed to open the score of the game, with Patrick Thoresen beating Alexei Volkov after assists by Prucha and Kovalchuk. Just a few minutes later Ovechkin managed to reply, tieing the game 1:1.

Ilya Kovalchuk demonstrated a tremendous performance, and was also on the ice in the second minute of the second period, when Maxim Afinogenov managed to score the game-winning goal. Half-way through the third period Viktor Tikhonov put another puck in the opposition’s net, clinching a 3:1 victory for SKA.

Lokomotiv Yaroslavl – Dinamo Riga 2:1 SO

After a very even and eventless first period, the second period set off with a much higher pace, and half-way through it it was Andris Dzerins who magnificently deflected Kristaps Sotnieks pass into the net, giving the lead to Dinamo Riga.

For much of the third period it seemed that the game could end any way, with both teams playing an intensive, hard-working game. In the last few minutes Lokomotiv put a huge pressure on Dinamo’s net, but Maris Jucers continued to play well. With three minutes left in regulation, Staffan Kronwall passed almost all Dinamo players, and scored a very pretty game-tieing goal, making an early candidacy for goal of the season.

As overtime ended without a goal being scored, the fate of the game was decided in a penalty shootout. The series lasted a total of eight shots, with Emil Garipov scoring the game-winning shootout goal, giving Lokomotiv another two points.

Atlant Mytishchi – Donbass Donetsk 2:3 SO

Ukrainian newcomers Donbass Donetsk won their second match in KHL only in their seventh game. Against Tarasov Division leaders Atlant Mytishchi they tied a 2-0 in the third period through their imports Vaclav Nedorost from Czech Republic and Oskars Bartulis from Latvia. Before Nikolai Zherdev and Alexei Petrov (PP) had scored for Atlant. In the shootout Ukrainian lockout star player Ruslan Fedotenko won the extra point for Donbass.

Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod – Spartak Moscow 3:0

Torpedo beat Spartak Moscow easily with 3-0. Swede Martin Thörnberg earned a hat trick until 35:24 to give the home side all three points. Torpedo now is ahead of Dinamo Minsk and cut the distanceto their Tarasov Division neighbours Spartak Moscow to just one. After a good start with 6 points in the first two matches, Spartak is losing ground and could only add another four points in the following six games.