Avangard Eliminated from Playoffs, Minsk Crushes Metallurg

Here is a recap of the latest game day in the KHL 3×3 Championship Superfinal.

Salavat Yulaev established a two-goal lead in the first period of their game against Traktor. Ilya Krikunov opened the scoring, followed by his teammate Ikhail Ivanov just ninety seconds later. In the second period, the Ufa team extended their lead with two highlight-reel goals. Alexander Zharovsky showcased impressive stickhandling to beat the defense and the goalie. Then, Bulat Khammatov made a seemingly blind pass from behind the net that Ikhail Ivanov converted from close range. Traktor managed a consolation goal early in the third period from Egor Ivanov, but it wasn`t enough to change the outcome as Salavat Yulaev secured a 4-1 victory.

Facing elimination after three consecutive losses in the Superfinal, Avangard desperately needed a win against Ak Bars to keep their semi-final hopes alive. They started the encounter with determination, with Evgeny Chesalin scoring just 33 seconds into the game. Avangard looked sharp in the first period but couldn`t sustain that intensity throughout the three periods. Ak Bars, coming off an unexpected 2-6 defeat to Dinamo Minsk the previous day, quickly found their rhythm, proving they rarely have two poor games in a row. Vladislav Shlyakhtov and Dmitry Drozhzhin scored a minute apart to give Ak Bars the lead. Shlyakhtov added his second goal early in the third period, and the score rapidly became 5-1 in favor of Ak Bars, leading to a fight. However, the altercation didn`t spark a comeback for Avangard. Stanislav Kalashnikov failed to convert a penalty shot for Ak Bars, while Daniil Chetverikov frustratingly missed two penalty shots for Avangard. Ak Bars ultimately won 6-1, confirming Avangard`s elimination from the semi-finals.

Dinamo Minsk built a comfortable 3-0 lead by the midpoint of their game against Metallurg. The opening goal was somewhat unusual, appearing to bounce off the glass or netting before hitting Nikolai Shashkov`s back and crossing the line. Just a minute later, the puck struck Shashkov`s helmet, but play continued; while the goalie was looking for the puck, Daniil Lipsky managed to nudge it under his pads for the second goal. Captain Sergei Kuznetsov netted the third goal. Metallurg replaced Shashkov with Kirill Kuzmenko, but the change didn`t shift momentum, as Kuzmenko also conceded three goals. Dinamo Minsk secured a dominant 6-1 victory. After a slow start to the tournament, two consecutive wins significantly boosted Dinamo`s chances of reaching the semi-finals. Conversely, Metallurg`s second defeat dropped them outside the playoff qualification zone. There`s a strong possibility that Metallurg and Traktor will face off on Friday for the final spot in the semi-finals.