Khabarovsk “Amur” began the year with a defeat, losing to Minsk “Dynamo”

The score in the match 1:4 in favor of the guests from Belarus

After the New Year’s break, big hockey returned to the Far East. On Tuesday Amur Khabarovsk started the home series with a match against Dynamo Minsk. The “White-Blues” from Belarus did not finish 2022 very well, losing eight matches in a row. “Tigers”, on the contrary, ended the year with a victory, and what a victory! “Amur” beat his principal rival from Primorye leveling the score in the Far East derby.

If Amur and Dynamo Minsk played in the same conference, it would be a match of direct competitors for getting into the top eight. However, in this situation, both teams need points. Highly. Moreover, the Khabarovsk team will have a difficult period – after Dynamo, Barys arrives on the banks of the Amur, with whom the Tigers will play double matches before going away.

The beginning was discouraging – in the second minute the Khabarovsk team, having lost the puck in their zone, conceded a quick goal from Pavel Varfolomeev. All five of the Belarusian team played excellently, literally clinging to the opportunity to throw with their teeth. The entire first period the hosts tried to recoup. However, the whole second, too, unfortunately, did not work out.

Somewhere the puck just frankly did not go into the goal, somewhere the Zubr defenders played selflessly lying down under the throws, and somewhere goalkeeper Andrey Kolosov rescued the Minsk team. For the entire second twenty-minute period, Amur received as many as six minutes in the majority, three removals from the opponent and did not use a single one. Khabarovsk obviously needs to pull up this component.

The third period was decisive. 53 seconds after the start of the period, defender Yakov Rylov equalizes the score, giving Amur fans, who, by the way, were especially numerous today – a full house in the Platinum Arena – hope. But a minute later the puck is again at the gate of Evgeny Alikin.

A curious goal – the goalkeeper hit the puck in front of him, it ricocheted off the hand of the Dynamo attacker and flew into an empty corner. However, the referees stop the game and start the video review of the moment. The recording showed that the goal was scored in violation of the rules and it was canceled, giving Amur another chance.

Khabarovsk residents did not use it. Indistinct play in the attack did not allow the Khabarovsk team to gain an advantage on the court, although there were moments. But for the Minskers today everything went and flew. On 48 minutes, Nick Merkley puts his team ahead again. Roman Gorbunov scores in the 49th minute – 1:3 in favor of the guests.

At the 57th minute, Vadim Yepanchintsev decides to remove the goalkeeper, creating an artificial majority on the ice. This did not bring success, on the contrary, for 58 minutes the Minskers scored into an empty net, making Amur’s chances of recouping almost zero. Actually, that’s what happened. The game ended with the victory of Minsk “Dynamo” with a score of 1:4.

– I’m glad that we started the year as it should – with a victory. I am grateful to the team for their efforts, especially after such a long flight. As for the game, we started well, but we didn’t manage to control the puck. This gave the opponent room to maneuver. The second period “Amur” had a very good time – attacked, acted aggressively. At the second break we had a long conversation in the dressing room and I liked the way the team reacted. The third period was spent as it should be created scoring chances and realized them. In general, they made the right decisions on the ice, – noted Craig Woodcroft, head coach of HC Dynamo Minsk.

Vadim Yepanchintsev was expectedly upset by the result of the first game of 2023. In his opinion, this is not the first game in which the forwards do not play as they should.

– The game is divided into segments. We conceded an early goal, then we had the initiative, the team wanted to score. Unfortunately, big questions for the attackers. Nevertheless, they scored a goal, leveled the score. We should have picked up the atmosphere of today’s match – a full palace of sports, but, unfortunately, due to individual mistakes, we lost today’s match. Big, big questions for our forwards. Already what game got into the boat and go. Yes, there were moments, but the efficiency is zero. So far, zero. Defenders score. Somewhere, that hockey happiness, focus on the goal, may have gone. We all want to give an extra pass when we need to shoot. Confidence needs to be returned back to our attackers, – stressed Vadim Yepanchintsev, head coach of HC Amur.

The next rival of “Amur” will be the Kazakh “Barys” with which the Khabarovsk team will play two matches in a row – on January 5 and 6.

Read also: Khabarovsk “Amur” won the sixth match of the Far East derby