Traktor won the Ural Derby for the third time this season

This time the fate of the confrontation between Traktor and Avtomobilist was decided by the game in unequal lineups. The Chelyabinsk team won 3:2 in overtime thanks to goals from Vitaly Kravtsov and Anton Burdasov in the majority, as well as a magnificent goal from Maxim Shabanov in the minority.

After a short break for the KHL Race Match and the national team game, Traktor returned to the season in the fourth round of the Ural Derby. The match against Avtomobilist also became a confrontation between neighbors in the standings. During the pause, Traktor parted ways with assistant head coach Valery Kulibaba. It has not yet been possible to find a replacement for the specialist, so coach Yuri Dobryshkin was called to the main team from Traktor. As for the lineup, the injured Viktor Antipin and Sergei Telegin returned to it. Zach Fucale also returned from America. The head coach of the team, Alexey Zavarukhin, after many questions from journalists, decided to separate the pairing of Vitaly Kravtsov and Anton Burdasov. The Chelyabinsk mentor presented the following composition: Fucale, Mylnikov; Telegin – Karpukhin, Yurtaikin – Tkachev – Shabanov; Yarullin – Antipin, Kalinin – Soshnikov – Burdasov; Blazhievsky – Bauie, Kravtsov – Der-Arguchintsev – Robinson; Shuchinov, Kotlyarevsky – Sharov – Popov.

Good pace is a distinctive feature of the Ural derbies this season and the fourth match was no exception. Traktor significantly outplayed the hosts at the beginning of the match. Long passes worked twice, but Egor Popov and Vitaly Kravtsov failed to beat the goalkeeper. Danil Yurtaikin also had a great chance, but he also failed to open the scoring.

During the break, the hosts’ coaching staff adjusted their tactics and straightened out the game. Traktor’s first penalty (Madison Bowie scored) led to a goal by Zach Fucale. Sergei Shirokov distinguished himself. After that, the hosts looked better and provided the Chelyabinsk goalkeeper with work. But at the end of the period, Traktor managed to turn the game around thanks to the majority. Vitaly Kravtsov converted the extra one and scored his 20th point of the season.

In the third period, the Ekaterinburg team again attacked more and, as a result, took the lead. Nick Ebert converted Madison Bowie’s second penalty. In the end, when it was necessary to win back, Traktor was left in the minority by Anton Burdasov. But the Chelyabinsk team was saved by Maxim Shabanov, who ran away from his zone one on one and left no chance for Evgeniy Alikin – 2:2.

Regular time and the game went into overtime. In extra time, everything was decided again in unequal lineups. Traktor got the majority and implemented it competently. Maxim Shabanov brought Anton Burdasov into the striking position, and he did not miss.

3:2 – Traktor’s victory in overtime, which increases their advantage in the Ural Derby to 3:1. The heroes of the meeting are Zach Fucale and Maxim Shabanov. Now Alexey Zavarukhin’s team will have to travel to Moscow and play a match with a tough opponent, Dynamo, on December 21.