Much-needed Shut-out Sets Up KRS Win

17 November 2024

Kunlun Red Star 3 Dinamo Minsk 0

After four straight losses, the Dragons roared back to winning form. A shut-out success over Dinamo Minsk silenced the KHL’s all-time record scorer and answered all questions about our defense after some difficult recent performances.

There was an enforced change to the Dragons’ roster for today’s game. Nail Yakupov left the club on Saturday, returning to Avangard where he played from 2020-23. In his time with KRS, Nail became our “fire-breathing Dragon” and collected 11 points in 27 games with some highlight-reel goals early in the season. His place on the second line went to Stepan Zvyagin, our on-loan forward who faced his parent club with Rourke Chartier and Danny O’Regan for partners. That wasn’t the end of the changes: Tyler Graovac returned to the team, as did Austin Moyle and they joined Hudson Elynuik on the fourth line. Sinyatkin, another loanee, was named as 13^th forward.

More important, perhaps, Jake Chelios was back in action on defense as Adam Clendening and Martin Lefebvre, our first pairing in Sochi, missed out. Jeremy Smith got the start in goal and delivered another shut-out, stopping 37 shots along the way.

The first period was goalless, and as tight as that sounds. There was little to choose between the teams – but after our recent defensive troubles, blanking the opposition was an encouraging sign.

After the intermission, Dinamo stepped up its offense, only to run into Smitty at his best. Whatever came at him, our goalie had the answers. Then we got to land the sucker punch late in the frame to grab the lead. Parker Foo hit the post on a short-handed raid, then the second we returned to full strength Colin Campbell got onto Spencer’s pass to open the scoring.

It could have been even better before the break: in the 39^th minute we had the puck in the net again. This time O’Regan redirected a Ryan Merkley point shot past Yegor Velmakin, only for a video review to spot a kicking motion as it bounced off Danny’s skate. Not the most obvious infringement, but enough to call the goal back.

When faced with adversity, the best response is to rise above it and focus on your own game. Early in the third, we showed exactly that spirit: a power play took just 10 seconds to bring Tomas Jurco his second goal in as many games. O’Regan started the play, and our Slovak star emphatically buried Graovac’s pass to give us a 2-0…