Yuzhny Ural Beats VHL Leader in Shootout

In the first period, Yuzhny Ural went shorthanded – Alexander Putilov was sent to the penalty box for holding, but Metallurg could not capitalize.

Five minutes later, a more severe penalty followed: after a video review, referees assessed defenseman Pavel Kovalchuk a five-minute major for a hit to the head and neck area. Yet even this lengthy power play did not yield a goal for Novokuznetsk – Yuzhny Ural goaltender Sergei Kudyavtsev was superb.

The first period ended 0-0, with a staggering shot advantage for the hosts: 30 to 4.

In the second period, Metallurg went on the power play (Daniil Apalkov for roughing) – Yuzhny Ural did not score with a 5-on-4 advantage. But the hosts« total dominance continued: 29-6 in shots.

In the third period, both teams had power-play opportunities (hosts« Maxim Berezin received two minutes for boarding, visitors» Mikhail Kurkin for holding), but still no goals. Shots were 24-6, and regulation ended 0-0.

Overtime also saw Metallurg pressing (Yuzhny Ural«s Stepan Ostrovsky took two minutes for tripping) – 6-0 in shots, but Kudyavtsev, in the zone, refused to be beaten. Zeros on the board led to a shootout.

A few days earlier, Yuzhny Ural had won in overtime for the first time this season, and now they also claimed their first shootout victory.

Both teams took five attempts. For Metallurg, only Dmitry Sokolov converted (Daniil Apalkov, Alexander Gorshkov, Yegor Serdyuk, and Dmitry Ovchinnikov could not solve Kudyavtsev). For Yuzhny Ural, Danil Kulyash, Konstantin Suslov, and Valery Sitnikov missed, but Vladislav Rvachev and Semyon Rubtsov were accurate. Shootout win!

Goaltender Sergei Kudyavtsev, who made 48 saves, was named VHL player of the day. He received praise from Yuzhny Ural head coach Vladislav Otmakhov.

«We beat the league leader, the best offense, and didn»t allow a power-play goal. We prepared for the game and, as they say, discipline beats class. The guys showed character and resilience in a tough moment. And the shootout accuracy – we won a shootout for the first time this season. I especially want to highlight goaltender Sergei Kudyavtsev, who came up big when needed. He played very confidently and gave the team a boost. The bench was alive; the boys« eyes were burning – everyone wanted to prove we don»t belong where we are in the standings,« Otmakhov said.