Wards of Zinetula Bilyaletdinov went into the sixth game of the series in Vladivostok extremely mobilized and immediately made it clear who was the favourite. The “sailors” resisted, but could not hold back the attack of the angry “leopards”.
An eight-hour flight after a 1:2 loss in Kazan only irritated Radulov and his team. The guests entered the Fetisov Arena without its strongest defender, Vyacheslav Voinov. He was replaced by youngster Daniil Zhuravlev, who was sent to the reserve after the series opener.
Already in the ninth minute, the “leopards” twice opened the gates of the magnificent Nikita Serebryakov. Ilya Safonov managed to break the jump puck, which Dmitry Voronkov delivered to the far patch with a candle. An ideal attack on the move, without peals or sunsets, planted by former coach Oleg Znark.
Photo Source: HC Ak Bars
The second goal was a reward for pressing in the opposite zone: Artem Galimov intercepted a pass from defender Metalnikov and brought Nikita Dynyak to the ball.
The hosts responded with a timeout, which did not help put out the fire on their property.
For the break, the guests bothered Serebryakov 18 times, the hosts forced Timur Bilyalov to play the record only three times. Feel the difference!
And when Dynak, after an inexplicable mistake by Canadian defender Colby Williams and Serebryakov’s blur, struck the goal from an acute angle, it was only fair that the “sailors” threw up a white flag.
But the “leopards” threw, not a flag, but a disc from their area to the stands. The experienced Stanislav Galiev exceeded himself. Dmitry Chebykin, with the help of a rebound from the guest defender Vasily Tokranov’s skate, converted the numerical advantage and returned the Admiral to the game.
This is where the Radulov show began. The captain of “Ak Bars” cut the goalkeeper’s huge “guitar” out of the goal, but did not break it. A fielder’s stick from such a blow would certainly snap in half. 100% removal! However, Judge Denis Naimov, who was three meters away, said nothing. Serebryakov defended the “sailor” Yuri Pautov and transferred the leader of the guests to the stalls. A light fight did not turn into a fight. The referee also made a decision for Solomon, annulling two minutes for Pautov and… Voronkov.
Photo source: HC “Admiral”
Each subsequent touch of the puck by Radulov was accompanied by a deafening whistle from the Fetisov Arena. Before the break, the judges once again pardoned the captain of the ‘leopards’, who played on the verge of a foul.
And in third period, emotions began to fade. Bilyaletdinov’s team acted strictly according to the score, allowing little to attack the hosts. The substitution of the goalkeeper did not help either.
I remembered how Bill’s champion team played the seventh game of the 2010 final against the no-names from HC MVD with the same discipline. Without the injured leaders Alexei Morozov and Danis Zaripov, the “leopards” in Balashikha did not give the splashing “policemen” a single chance – 2:0.
It remains to praise the “navigators” and their optimistic coach Leonid Tambiev. After the final siren, the arena sent the Admiral off on vacation with our trademark “well done.”
And Bilyaletdinov did not skimp on the rival’s praise: “He trained us well.”
What is true is true: after the seaside series “Ak Bars” it will be easier to prepare for the final with the systemic “Avangard”. By the way, the first match will take place in Kazan on April 2.
STATISTICS
“Admiral” (7) – “Ak Bars” (1) – 1:3 (0:2, 1:1, 0:0). Goals: Chebykin – Safonov, Dynyak (2)
Series score: 2-4 (2:3, 1:2, 1:0 OT, 1:2 OT, 2:1, 1:3)
