Super-save is highlight of a tough day for Dragons

16 October 2024

Kunlun Red Star 1 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 5

Dragons goalie Kyle Keyser enhanced his fast-growing reputation in this league with another spectacular save on Wednesday. Keyser won the KHL’s save of the week award for his ‘no-look’ stop in our shut-out win over Severstal on Friday. Today, the 25-year-old American kept his place in the team and soon posted another contender for honors.

The latest moment of magic came late in the first period. A goal seemed certain when Yaroslav Likhachyov found Georgy Ivanov in space at the back door with the corner of the net invitingly open. But Keyser was alert to the danger and flung a stick out to steer Ivanov’s shot over the bar. Don’t be surprised to see that one again and again on this week’s highlight reels.

Unfortunately, great as the save was, it came with our guys already down 0-2. In a hard-fought first period, the league leader got away late on. Byron Froese opened the scoring in the 17^th minute and Maxim Beryozkin doubled the late before the intermission.

Although we were hoping for a performance reminiscent of our battling OT loss in Yaroslavl last week, the game was in danger of turning into something more like an earlier 2-6 reverse here in Mytishchi. Daniil But added to his earlier assist with a third goal in the 26^th minute, Froese got his second of the night on a power play and, given the quality of Lokomotiv’s defensive game, it was hard to see a way back.

That said, our guys didn’t give up. Lokomotiv’s pressing restricted us to just one shot on goal in the first 10 minutes of the middle frame, but gradually the Dragons found a way to make something of an impression. A power play chance brought a goal for Jayden Halbgewachs – two in two games now for him – after Kyle Wood fooled the defense into expecting a shot. That injected renewed belief into our game and Alexei Kozhevnikov – on loan to us from Lokomotiv – tested Alexei Melnichuk before Rourke Chartier also posed questions for the visiting goalie.

However, this was something of a false dawn. It’s a rare team than can readily unpick the Railwaymen’s defensive systems, particularly when the table topper has a lead to defend. Although there was no shortage of effort in the third period, there was also no way through a solid visiting defense. The final moment of note was a painful one, with Loko punishing a defensive error at our end to pad the lead with a shorthanded goal. And that kind of clinical finishing is the difference between teams at the top of the standings and teams battling for a playoff place.