Metallurg took the lead in the semi-final play-off series against Avtomobilist
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Metallurg was one step away from winning the semi-final play-off series of the Fonbet KHL Championship. He led it with a score of 3:2, winning – 5:2 – Avtomobilist’s fifth match on their site. In it, the Magnitogorsk team squandered their two-goal advantage, but ended the final period with a bang.
The previous match, which Avtomobilist pulled out by conceding three early goals in a row, was a hymn to the ability that is necessary for anyone who wants to succeed in the playoffs, the ability to quickly digest even the most terrible blows – well, or, as the Ekaterinburg coach seems to like to say Nikolai Zavarukhin, “masculinity” is a must for a hunter of the Gagarin Cup. For a long time I wanted to recognize this as a hymn to thoughtful coaching in response to disasters.
For some time the game went on with a slight touch of chaos, apparently stemming from the burning desire of both opponents not to give up the initiative.
But then it easily showed signs of adjustments made on the day of rest by Metallurg coach Andrei Razin. The “motorist” was still unusually assertive, as if he needed a chase again. But now the Magnitogorsk team didn’t sit deep, met all the attacks near their blue line, didn’t allow them to settle in the zone, and always hinted that they were ready to severely punish anyone else’s awkwardness.
And soon the goal came, which did not contradict the picture in any way. Denis Zernov was able to position himself comfortably enough on the spot to adjust to the throw and substitute his stick. Avtomobilist goalkeeper Evgeniy Alikin realized how the puck would change direction, too late.
And towards the end of the starting period, the mighty slingshot of the Magnitogorsk counterattack fired. Dmitry Silantyev and Denis Zernov ran towards Yekaterinburg defender Sergei Zborovsky, who was alone behind. He didn’t know who to watch first. In the end, he basically guessed that the last pass would go from Silantiev to Zernov – to an already empty corner, but he was unable to prevent him from reaching the addressee.
And after the break, “Metallurg” implemented this strategy so effectively that there was a feeling that “Avtomobilist” was about to give up on everything.
Well, it’s impossible to dream of a decent result when you walk forward and constantly bump into a dense wall, and as you bump into it, you watch how the just tightly compressed spring straightens out. Two-on-one, one-on-one outings have become something of a norm. The only surprising thing was that they flatly refused to convert into an abandoned puck. Although, let’s say, when, after Roman Kantserov’s pass, Artem Minulin sent it into the top corner past Alikin’s thrown trap, even the goalkeeper seemed surprised that trouble had passed. And then – maybe just in the spirit of a miraculous rescue – he coped with the most difficult throw by Danila Yurov.
And suddenly everything became much more interesting. Avtomobilist, confirming the reputation of a team that has learned to endure slaps, endured, endured, endured – and finally snapped back with a simple but clear attack: Denis Barantsev’s pass from the boards plus a sharp shot from the “hot” Anatoly Golyshev in the playoffs. And at the beginning of the next twenty minutes, Avtomobilist, positioned in the opposing zone, equalized the score in approximately the same way that Metallurg opened it – through a long-range throw from Kirill Vorobyov. No, this series does not provide clear and rock-solid layouts. Everything about her is unsteady and thin.
But in this match, Metallurg, who squandered their lead, still survived.
The majority and fussiness in the defense of the Yekaterinburg four helped. Daniil Vovchenko had time to roll out to a convenient position, right in front of the goal, and take aim properly. Alikin had no chance to help out.
“Avtomobilist” then, of course, rushed to fix everything. But it didn’t work out: “Metallurg”, trained by bitter experience, did not twitch, but, on the contrary, rather added calmly. And Denis Zernov, his best player that evening, was on alert. When the opportunity arose, he positioned his body perfectly and left Nick Ebert on the flank in order to beat Evgeniy Alikin, kill the intrigue in the match, which also featured an empty-net goal by Igor Geraskin, and at the same time add a valuable hat-trick to his record.
The intrigue in the series, however, is still, of course, burning with fire. Metallurg is already one step away from winning it and participating in the final, where Lokomotiv managed to break through, but in the sixth meeting, which will take place on Saturday, it will have to play away.
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