September 29th brought a host of dramatic moments and significant achievements to the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). The day saw Nikita Gusev become only the fourth player in league history to reach 700 career points, Torpedo defeat SKA for the second time this season, and both Dinamo Minsk and Neftekhimik extend their impressive winning streaks.
Gusev`s Major Milestone
Moscow Dynamo`s star forward, Nikita Gusev, recorded an assist on Artyom Sergeev`s goal in the game against Neftekhimik, pushing him past the 700-point mark in the KHL. This achievement places him in an elite group alongside Vadim Shipachyov, Sergei Mozyakin, and Alexander Radulov as only the fourth player to reach this prestigious total. However, neither Gusev`s milestone point nor Dynamo`s two quick goals in 16 seconds were enough to secure a victory. Neftekhimik scored a goal in each period and heroically held on for a hard-fought win, marking their fourth consecutive triumph.
Dinamo Minsk Defeats the Champion
Dinamo Minsk also extended their winning streak by overcoming reigning champions Lokomotiv in a shootout (3:2 SO). This marks the “Bisons`” fourth consecutive victory, all of which have come on home ice. Remarkably, no visiting team has managed to win in Minsk this season, highlighting the team`s strong home-ice advantage under coach Dmitry Kvartalnov.
Torpedo vs. Larionov: 2-0
For the second time this season, SKA head coach Igor Larionov faced his former team, Torpedo. Their initial encounter in Nizhny Novgorod earlier in the season concluded with a 3:2 OT victory for Torpedo. The Army Men were undoubtedly seeking revenge, but it was not to be. Torpedo netted five goals against them, conceding only two. Thus, in the rivalry between Torpedo and their former coach, the score now stands at 2-0 in favor of the Volga team.
Shil`s First KHL Shutout
Barys hosted Admiral in Astana and secured a convincing 3-0 shutout victory. This marked the first KHL shutout for Barys`s goaltender, Adam Shil. He made 26 saves, many of which were truly phenomenal. It took Shil only three games to achieve this career milestone, demonstrating his quick adaptation to the league.
Metallurg`s Resilient Comeback
The game in Magnitogorsk saw Metallurg face Sibir. In their previous match, the hosts squandered a 3-0 lead against Ak Bars (losing 3:4), and this time, they found themselves playing catch-up after Sibir took a 3:1 lead in the first period. Metallurg`s comeback began with a penalty shot converted by Sergei Tolchinsky, scoring his first goal for the team. Artyom Minulin then added another, and club alumnus Egor Korobkin netted the game-winner for the Urals squad, securing a hard-fought victory.
Avtomobilist`s Heroic Win Amidst Injury Woes
Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg`s roster issues worsened before their match against Ak Bars, as Stefan Da Costa joined the team`s already extensive injured list. Head coach Nikolai Zavarukhin is currently without six key regular players, as well as Anatoly Golyshev. In this challenging situation, the coaching staff placed their trust in players from the club`s system, and they delivered. Avtomobilist secured a confident 4:1 home victory over Ak Bars, dominating both on the scoreboard and in gameplay. Despite their recent comeback against Metallurg, Ak Bars continues its attempts to escape a steep decline, though so far without success.
Milestones and Scoring Streaks
Several players achieved personal milestones or extended impressive scoring streaks. Two Ak Bars players – goaltender Mikhail Berdin and defenseman Mitchell Miller – played their 100th KHL games, while teammate Artyom Galimov reached his 400th. Torpedo leader Vasily Atanasov hit 100 KHL points, and SKA`s Sergei Plotnikov reached 550 points.
Six players extended their personal scoring streaks:
- Andrey Belozyorov of Neftekhimik: to four games (2 goals + 4 assists).
- Vladimir Tkachyov of Metallurg: to five games (0+6).
- Danil Yurtaikin of Neftekhimik (4+8) and Moscow Dynamo`s Gusev (2+6): to seven games.
- Metallurg forwards Dmitry Silantyev (6+8) and Roman Kantserov (5+5): to eight games.