Lyamkin — a hero, Yashkin — missing, Gatiyatulin — in search of ideal combinations

Shocking period for the guests

The composition of Ak Bars did not come as a big surprise after the game with Neftyanik (4:3). Compared to the match in Almetyevsk, the coaching staff of the Bars made only minor adjustments. For example, Mikhail Berdin, signed after the meeting with the oil workers, appeared in the Kazan team's goal for the first time. In addition, Nikita Lyamkin came out in the first defensive pair, replacing Artemiy Knyazev in the starting combinations.

For Neftekhimik, the match in Kazan also became the second in the current pre-season. At the beginning of August, Igor Grishin's team beat Chelny with a dry score — 3:0. There were more changes in the «wolves» since that game. If the Chelny team played with a reserve squad, now the main squad was in Kazan. The main thing was the appearance of captain Alexander Dergachev, who missed almost 10 months due to recovery from a severe injury.

Already in the 4th minute of the game, the score was opened: Lyamkin shot from the blue line, and Kirill Semenov adjusted the puck right in front of the goalkeeper — 1:0. In response, Neftekhimik earned the first power play of the match. But the guests failed to capitalize on the extra player, and also conceded. Lyamkin intercepted the puck and passed it forward to Artem Galimov, who confidently outwitted the goalkeeper — 2:0.

In the middle of the period, the «wolves» could have scored one goal back. Jean-Sebastian Dee went one-on-one with Berdin, but failed to outwit the goalkeeper. The Nizhnekamsk team looked more lively, and the guests had slightly more movement. However, the «Bars» deliberately switched to a counter-attacking style, leading by two goals. Anvar Gatiyatulin's team controlled the course of the match and strengthened the result by capitalizing on the power play. Lyamkin threw the puck from the blue line again, and Mikhail Fisenko adjusted it near Yaroslav Ozolin's goal — 3:0.

Lyamkin scored five points

The second period was marked by Neftekhimik's attempts to catch up. The guests found themselves in a scoring position time and again, but could not score. Mikhail Berdin, for whom the game was a debut for Ak Bars, showed himself great. The Kazan goalkeeper twice became the only obstacle for the Nizhnekamsk team, which was eager to score. It's a pity that Mikhail failed to finish the game with a shutout.

The start of the third period, which began with continued attacks by the guests, made us remember a similar segment of the «Bars» in Almetyevsk. Gatiyatulin's team once again looked dull, merely pretending to fight. The «Ak Bars» game was only revived by a conceded goal. Moreover, at first the referees did not count the goal scored by Di with his foot. And then Nikita Khoruzhev scored against Berdin, not allowing him to maintain a 100% save percentage — 3:1.

However, Lyamkin and his teammates had their own plans. Ak Bars quickly restored the difference in the score. Lyamkin closed the line, passed to Semyon Terekhov, who passed the puck to the center to Alexander Barabanov, and he sent the puck into the net — 4:1. In overtime, the Kazan defender scored his fifth scoring point. Lyamkin, Barabanov, and Semenov scored the fifth goal after a three-move combination. The referees reviewed the replay but did not cancel the goal.

«It was a rather difficult game. It took a lot of time to get into the swing of things. But it's great that we won. Neftekhimik is on the road today, coming straight from the bus. I think this affected the first period, and we took advantage of our chances,» Barabanov commented on the victory.

Questions for Yashkin and Byro

Nikita Lyamkin was expectedly recognized as the hero of the meeting. The defender participated in all five goals of the team, giving five assists. And this is in his first match in the pre-season. Lyamkin immediately began to reclaim his place among the attacking defensemen, which came into question with the signing of Kalinyuk. The Canadian remains in the shadows for now, not standing out in the team.

The attacking hockey players of Ak Bars helped their defender. We especially note the performance of the first trio, where Semyon Terekhov fit perfectly with Semenov and Barabanov. There are no complaints about the pair of Ilya Safonov and Artem Galimov, Mikhail Fisenko is excellent. However, there are still questions about the second link. Dmitry Yashkin failed another match in the link with Brandon Byro. There is clearly no need to panic yet, just as there is no need to take the starting games of the pre-season stage seriously.

Be that as it may, the coaching staff may have to think about changing the combinations in the links. At least Gatiyatulin is keeping the window of opportunity open for player rotation.

«The task now is to remember the good segments from the last season and implement some new ideas of the coaching staff that appeared over the summer. In some ways, it worked out, but there is still a lot of work to be done, the preparation continues. And here we are still looking at the combinations, they can change, the guys who are now playing for Neftyanik and Bars are training with us. At the tournament in St. Petersburg, we can check everyone while the regular summer training is going on,» Gatiyatulin said.

Ak Bars — Neftekhimik — 4:1 (3:0, 0:0, 1:1)

Goals:
1:0 — Semenov (Terekhov, Dynyak, 03:38);
2:0 — Galimov (Lyamkin, 06:37, 4x5);
3:0 — Fisenko (Semenov, Lyamkin, 18:27, 5x4);
3:1 — Khoruzhev (Khlystov, Dee, 48:30);
4:1 — Barabanov (Terekhov, Lyamkin, 49:59)

Ak Bars will play its next match on August 19 against Lada away, and on the 22nd in Moscow against Dynamo Moscow. After that, Gatiyatulin's team will go to the Puchkov Tournament in St. Petersburg.