Different Gravy

1 October 2024

Salavat Yulaev Ufa 2 Kunlun Red Star 5

Two goals from Tyler Graovac – known to his buddies as ‘Gravy’ – sparked a spectacular Red Star fightback in Ufa. That’s what our British friends might call ‘different Gravy’; something too good to make a comparison with anything else meaningful. Down by two at the second intermission, the guys produced a powerful third-period display to make it two wins from two on our latest road trip. We’re also up to two-and-two from our most recent trips to Bashkortostan after Danny O’Regan and Hudson Elynuik celebrated their first KHL goals. Tuesday’s win, coming on the back of Sunday’s stunner in St. Petersburg, underlines the potential on this team after a difficult run of form.

Dragons’ goalie Kyle Keyser made his KHL debut for the team today. The 25-year-old American joined us in the summer from the Bruins organization and featured as a back-up in Sunday’s big win over SKA. Now, in Ufa, he stepped up in place of Jeremy Smith. That was the only change from Mikhail Kravets after our guys produced the “performance of their lives” to stun SKA in St. Petersburg.

Red Star had a couple of early chances, with O’Regan getting a shot off from between the hashmarks following Yury Pautov’s feed, then Tyler Graovac poked a loose puck agonizingly wide of an open net. Gradually, though, our host came into things. Keyser’s first big save in the KHL denied a Yegor Suchkov rush. Shortly after that, he beat away a Sheldon Rempal shot then hung onto the rebound as Mikhail Naumenkov threatened the goal.

It was goalless through the first period, with Keyser making 12 saves. However, at the start of the second Salavat got the first real power play of the game (in the first period, two penalties cancelled each other out completely and the other pair came just 25 seconds apart, affording neither team much of a chance to flex on the PP). That chance brought the opening goal, scored by Danil Alalykin in the 24^th minute. Midway through the frame, our PK was at its very best to shut down more than three-and-a-half minutes at a numerical disadvantage, including 34 seconds of three-on-five play. It wasn’t just about keeping Ufa out of the net; the home team barely registered a scoring chance with the extra personnel.

However, one thing is absolutely inevitable for Salavat Yulaev this season: Josh Leivo will make an impact at some point. The Canadian forward’s hot streak takes in every game of the current campaign, plus all of Ufa’s playoff action last term. Today he stretched it to 15 games in total when he potted the home team’s second goal.

To be honest, at the second intermission things looked pretty bleak. The home team had more shots and more attacking possession; the visitor had plenty of work to do.

But we also had Tyler Graovac. Sometimes, it’s helpful to take a moment to charge one’s super powers and a high-sticking minor gave Tyler just long enough to refocus. Released back into the game, Graovac jumped onto the rush and converted Spencer Foo’s pass to reduce the arrears. A couple of minutes later, and with no penalty to precede it this time, Tyler struck again: another breakaway saw him go down the right-hand channel and finish the job himself to tie the game.

Salavat Yulaev was wobbling. Leivo found himself in the box and after Luke Lockhart created carnage on the crease with his first shot, the same player stepped up to put away the rebound from between the hashmarks. The home team challenged the play, lost, and KRS continued on the PP. That saw O’Regan celebrate his big moment just 24 seconds later, steering the puck home at the back door off a Tomas Jurco feed. Our fourth of the night also saw a first assist of the season for Nail Yakupov and, most important of all, opened a two-goal lead with five to play.

The home bench responded by replacing goalie Alexander Samonov with Semyon Vyazovoi, then replacing the youngster with a sixth skater. But it was all too late for the home team as the Dragons wrapped it up with Elynuik’s empty-netter sealing a sweet deal and bringing him a first KHL goal.