Rostov Loses to Zvezda in Shootout on Home Ice
Rostov now holds 35 points in the VHL standings following the shootout defeat.
In a home VHL match, Rostov fell to Moscow«s Zvezda in a hard-fought battle that ended in a shootout. Timofey Barsukov put Rostov ahead in the fourth minute. The teams played two periods with a minimal score, but in the third, Dmitry Vlasenko scored twice to give the visitors a 2:1 lead.
Three minutes before the final siren, Yegor Korbitt equalized, sending the match into overtime. In extra time, both teams were cautious and created no scoring chances. The shootout proved decisive, with the Moscow club«s players showing greater accuracy.
Rostov head coach Grigory Panteleev commented on the game: «If we divide the game by periods: the first was perhaps more or less even. In the second, we probably looked stronger. In the third, the opponent outplayed us, except for the end. In overtime, we played uncertainly — we were afraid to concede. You could see the guys were already a bit tired. The opponent played well. They have a mobile, fast, and powerful team. It»s tough to play against such an opponent. In the shootout, the Muscovites had steadier nerves.«
Despite the loss, Rostov earned one point, bringing their total to 35. This allowed the team, known as the Condors, to climb to 30th place in the standings, surpassing Chelny and Kristall.
