Crosby of Russia came out of the shadows and brought Kazan a strong-willed win in game two

The second fight took place in a viscous fight. The judges wrote down a total of just six penalty minutes. As in the first game, the majority and minority brigades brought victory to the hosts. The “sailors” “Bolsheviks” responded with a furious, but not effective assault on the Bilyalov gates.

Before the second match, coaches Zinetula Bilyaletdinov and Leonid Tambiev brought in fresh forces. The hosts had an experienced defender Vasily Tokranov on the ice, replacing youngster Daniil Zhuravlev. The guests left the list of injured striker Anton Berlev, who was so lacking in the first meeting. The nameless debutant moved to the first roles during the season, which was reflected in the series with Ufa. Because of Berlev, the decisive goal sent the Yulaevites on vacation.

It was they who became the main figures in the early period. Tokranov brought himself a goal, making two mistakes at his gate in one episode. At first he made an inaccurate pass, then he didn’t orient himself when the puck, after Berlev’s shot and rebound, jumped and jumped along the tape. The defender tried to hit it (the puck, not the tape), but his stick hit the post and went blank. Then guests opened the account.

The Mariners drew the right conclusions from Thursday’s loss and forgot their way to the penalty area. And judges Viktor Gashilov and Evgeny Romasko raised the bar of stiffness and didn’t issue weak removals, like in the first game. The first to go was the guests’ captain, Libor Szulak, only in the 26th minute. When the hosts burned 0:1. Or it could have been 0:2, if “Admiral” striker Nikolai Chebykin had sent the puck a few centimeters to the right – “Ak Bars” was saved from the post.

At the end of the first period, the “leopards” bristled, released their claws and did not let the “sailors” out of the backcourt for four minutes. Ilya Serebryakov proved once again that the league named him the best goalkeeper in the first round of the playoffs not because of his good form and surname. But even he only watched the puck that bounced off the center stick of hosts Ilya Safonov’s header. It’s easy for Maxim Afinogenov to hit from one meter: in the Olympic quarterfinals in Salt Lake 2002 (1: 0), he scored Hasek from a ten times longer distance. And Safonov managed to miss.

However, at the equator of the second period, he was rehabilitated. He also won the fight for the muzzle against General Daniil Gutik and was rewarded with a pass from behind the gates by Dmitry Voronkov. Serebryakov did not react to a shot from two meters.

And 5 seconds before the siren for the second break, Vadim Shipachev had to grab his head. The indefatigable captain Alexander Radulov knocked out the Russian Crosby on an empty corner, threw, but Serebryakov, on a kick goalkeeper’s throw, managed to catch the puck with the edge of the pancake, which flew over the target.

In the third half, Bilyaletdinov’s team continued to melt the ice in the away zone. However, it was not possible to score in equal numbers. The “sailors” lay down with bones. For 8 with “penny” in front of the siren, Chebykin in the central zone hooked the glove of defender Nikita Lyamkin with a stick. Removal! Tambiev in the key of him showed a “fish” with a gesture.

The “Mensheviks” held the defense competently and selflessly. However, they capitulated when the puck rebounded to Shipachev, who was standing on the starboard side, went into the net. Serebryakov fought back here too, but only hooked the puck with a trap.

Russian Crosby – that’s the name of Shipachyov – in the series with “Neftekhimik” and in the first game with “Admiral” did not light up, he was criticized like the Canadian Baby Sid at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. But in the final overtime with the Americans, the Maples captain scored the golden goal and immediately went from rags to riches. Today we will announce Shipachev as the lead.

The “sailors” did not give up, did not crumble, did not crumble. Almost three minutes before the end of regular time, they earned the only majority – poor fellow Tokranov fouled.

The assault on Bilyalov’s possessions was impressive. The quartet of defenders pressed against the gate, while the “sailors” mainly tried to bring Shulak, who tirelessly shot at the target, into the shot. But many of his shots were captured by the “leopards”.

The “Bolsheviks” would diversify the draw, try to attack through the right flank, but …

Ak Bars is flying to Vladivostok with the firm intention of completing the series there in Primorye. The sailors will try to return to Kazan. All tickets for the Fetisov Arena have long been sold out.

STATISTICS

“Ak Bars” (Kazan) – “Admiral” (Vladivostok) – 2:1 (0:1, 1:0, 1:0). Goals: Safonov, Shipachev – Berlev

Score of the series: 2-0 (3:2, 2:1, 20, 22, 24*, 26*, 28* March)

* If necessary.