Another pace-setter falls to the Dragons

23 November 2024

Traktor Chelyabinsk 1 Kunlun Red Star 4

They’ve done again! After Thursday’s win at Avtomobilist, the Dragons went to Eastern Conference leader Traktor and got the first victory in Chelyabinsk since 2018. Goals from Martin Lefevbre, Rourke Chartier and our Slovenian rookie Jan Drozg paced a team performance that was truly “off the charts”, while Spencer Foo took his productive streak to four games with a goal and an assist.

Victory also continues our good record against this season’s leading teams. So far, the Dragons have defeated Eastern Conference leader Traktor, second-placed Avtomobilist, and third-placed Salavat Yulaev. In the west, we’ve had two wins over fourth-placed SKA, a road win at third-placed Dynamo, and taken table-topping Lokomotiv to overtime.

Our guys carried the confidence gained from winning in Yekaterinburg into this game. That momentum helped secure an early lead as Martin Lefebvre scored his third of the season. He rifled in a point shot – the first effort on target in the game – as Colin Campbell got in the eye-line of home goalie Zach Fucale. Spencer Foo also had an assist on the play.

But that bright start didn’t last. Traktor has proved itself one of the strongest teams in the KHL this season under Canadian head coach Benoit Groulx and our host responded well to adversity. A couple of minutes after that opening goal, Traktor got on the power play and Vladimir Tkachyov tied the game. After that, the first period saw the home team enjoy the better of the play but the Dragons did not allow many clear scoring chances and the teams were tied 1-1 at the intermission.

The second frame started with Red Star on the penalty kill – and coming close to a shorthanded goal. Luke Lockhart got on the counter with Foo, who dangled his way superbly around the remaining defenseman but saw Fucale make the save. Lockie almost got to the loose puck in front of the net, but a desperate clearance from Buddy Robinson saved the situation for the home team. And there was another big moment when Jayden Halbgewachs dinged the crossbar after a quick release from the top of the left-hand circle had Fucale beaten.

At the other end, Traktor again had plenty of attacking possession. But, again, the Eastern Conference leader struggled to generate good looks at Jeremy Smith in our net and the game remained deadlocked through 40 minutes.

In the third period, a combination of clinical finishing and solid defense lifted Red Star to a third successive victory. Our guys scored three goals off eight shots, while limiting Traktor to just five looks at Smitty’s net. A patience start to the session was rewarded after seven minutes when Rourke Chartier forced the puck home from close range after Fucale could not hold on to a Jake Chelios thunderbolt.

Then our latest signing Jan Drozg made it 3-1 with a power play goal in the 56^th minute, firing in a shot from the right-hand circle and giving us vital two-goal cushion.

The home team gambled on playing with an empty net on 56:09, but that effort to save the game came to nothing. Within a minute, Foozy picked up a loose puck in the corner of his own zone and launched it the full length of the ice to find the empty net. That made the final 4-1 and, for the first time this season, the Dragons had three straight wins in the KHL.