Improved Dragons hit by double blast

19 September 2024

Sibir Novosibirsk 3 Kunlun Red Star 1

This was a much-improved performance, despite the final score. Kunlun went to a Sibir term undefeated in its first two home games and posed plenty of problems for the host. Most shots on goal, most time on offense, far more hits: Thursday’s stats make for good reading. But our opponent proved more clinical when it counted to take the win.

After hitting stormy seas at Admiral, the Dragons made changes for the final game of the Far-East road trip. In Novosibirsk, Konstantin Volkov got the start in goal, Ian McCoshen replaced Kyle Wood on defense and two attacking changes saw Chris Wilkie and Hudson Elynuik take over from Colin Campbell and Jayden Halbgewachs.

The game in Vladivostok saw a fast start from the opposition leave Red Star chasing from the off. The first priority today was to ensure Sibir – in form after three straight wins – could not blow us away in the first few shifts.

To some extent, the guys achieved that objective. Early in the game, Nail Yakupov’s hard work behind the net fashioned a scoring chance for Tomas Jurco, but home goalie Denis Kostin said no. At the other end, Volkov made a big save to deny Nikita Korotkov in the fifth minute, bailing out our defense after the forward was left with a bit too much space in the right-hand circle. Wilkie’s line with Danny O’Regan and Brandon Yip also made its presence felt with a couple of decent looks.

Unfortunately, between those chances, Sibir got ahead in the ninth minute on a Maxim Sushko tally. That did not deflate the Dragons and the balance of play in the first period remained even despite a slender lead for the host.

The trouble came after the intermission. Two goals in 25 seconds from Sergei Shirokov and our former defenseman Trevor Murphy opened a 3-0 advantage and put us firmly behind the 8-ball. Not long after that, Yipper took the first penalty of the game and our PK was at full stretch to prevent any further damage. Sibir came close, but even after getting the puck past Volkov the home offense could not beat Jake Chelios as he backed up for our goalie.

Once back at full strength, we started the long journey back into the game. Luke Lockhart’s surge down the left produced a good shooting chance and Yakupov was agonizingly close to steering home the rebound from that effort. Similarly, Jurco saw his attempt squirm the wrong side of the post after Kostin couldn’t hold onto Ryan Merkley’s blast.

Our Slovak sniper got us on the board at the start of the third period, potting his third goal of the season. This one was a reward for persistence: Yakupov couldn’t quite stuff it over the line, Lockhart had two or three attempts blocked by some desperate goaltending, then Tomas came from behind the net to force it in. It doesn’t always have to be pretty, as long as it works.

In similar vein, Elynuik produced a huge hit on Fyodor Gordeyev in the closing stages, crunching Sibir’s defenseman into the boards in no uncertain terms. Despite the home team’s protests, there was nothing dirty about this play: Hudson took his man cleanly, and decisively. However, even a more combative approach could not change the final score. Sibir skated to a 3-1 win even as we outshot the home team 12-3 in the third period and 30-20 through the game. The Dragons head home to prepare for next week’s action, starting with a home game against Torpedo on Sep. 24.