CSKA and Dynamo met for the third time in a short span. While CSKA had a few days to steadily prepare for tonight’s matchup, Dynamo managed to snap their frustrating six-game losing streak with a win over SKA. Newly signed forward Riley Sawchuk didn’t make the lineup today, but the team welcomes back defenseman Alex Cotton, who missed the last game. Forward Alexei Churkin also got his chance after being recalled from Zvezda of the VHL. Dmitry Gamzin started in goal.
The game followed a completely different script compared to the previous two high-scoring matchups, which featured 6 and 7 goals respectively. It was a gritty game, but high-danger scoring chances were hard to come by. Right at the start, Robert Hamilton came close to scoring against Dynamo when he joined the rush unexpectedly, but the goalie made a shoulder save on his heavy shot. Denis Guryanov was on a promising breakaway but lost the puck while trying to improve his shooting angle. As Jeremy Roy noted during the intermission, both teams know each other well, so they weren’t giving up many shots. Things didn't change after the break. The fierce battle continued on the ice, with CSKA holding a slight edge thanks to two power-play opportunities. But they couldn't capitalize, unlike in past meetings. Quantity finally paid off. In the third period, Dynamo's Nikita Novikov picked up a 4-minute double-minor penalty and was punished for it. Off a pass from Maksim Sorkin, Prokhor Poltapov unleashed a powerful one-timer to extend his point streak. That goal stood as the game-winner in a 1-0 victory. We'll grind out our 11th straight win.
