Table-topping Loko too strong for Dragons

20 February 2025

Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 4 Kunlun Red Star 1

This was our fourth and final game against Lokomotiv this season – and like the others, it ended in defeat. The Yaroslavl team has dominated the regular season, leading the standings almost from the start. And, despite a slight wobble in recent weeks, last year’s beaten Gagarin Cup finalist still looks a good bet to go deep into the 2025 playoffs.

The home team got a boost today with the return of first-choice goalie Daniil Isayev. He didn’t end up on the ice, but after missing six weeks through injury, having him dressed as back-up was a big step.

For KRS, Thursday’s roster included both of our Lokomotiv loanees: Yaroslav Likhachyov is a familiar figure among our forwards, but for defenseman Alexei Kozhevnikov this was a first appearance since Jan. 10. Austin Wong, previously named as 13^th forward, made way as Kozhevnikov got a game. Patrik Rybar started in goal in place of Jeremy Smith.

However, the early stages of this game were not a success. Doyle Somerby took an early penalty, and Lokomotiv had a two-goal lead after eight minutes.

Gradually, we got back into it. Colin Campbell found the net for the second game in a row, rewarding a persistent attack with a snipe from close range after Jan Drozg’s feed from behind the net. And there were chances to tie the scores before the intermission, notably when Luke Lockhart and Danny O’Regan both tested Alexei Melnichuk in quick succession.

Despite trailing at the first break, KRS outshot Loko 11-9 and, by any measure, was giving the league leader plenty to think about.

That continued at the start of the second period. There were more scoring chances, despite Lokomotiv’s famously well-drilled defense. However, our guys could not quite find that killer blow to tie the game. Gradually, the home team regained the initiative but it was still a one-goal game after 40 minutes and there was every hope that we could take something from the final frame.

That third period saw Smith take over from Rybar in goal. The change unsettled our team a little and Lokomotiv took advantage to increase its lead in the 45^th minute through Stepan Nikulin. And that proved to be the knock-out punch. Subsequently we struggled to make in-roads against our table-topping opponent. There were a few more encouraging moments, notably Ian McCoshen’s crunching hit on Alexander Polunin, but Lokomotiv was able to add a fourth goal and complete a fairly comfortable win.

The assignments don’t get any easier this week: next we’re off to Petersburg to face SKA on Saturday.