Struggles Continue for Baikal, Tie Mayak 4-4

Khimik Stadium, KEMEROVO, Russia -- Alexander Nasonov finally broke out offensively, netting a hat trick. But it was not enough as Baikal stretched their winless streak to two games, tying Mayak Krasnoturinsk 4-4 on Monday.

Nasonov opened the scoring in the 4th minute, and in the 28th, he doubled the lead off a pass from Andrei Stolnikov. Former Baikal forward Yevgeny Igoshin cut the lead to one , followed by a tying goal from Mayak captain Pavel Dubovik.

Before the close of the half, Baikal put a lot of pressure on, trying to take the lead going into the locker room. Shortly before the break, a scuffle broke out on the ice, and Dubovik, Igoshin, and Baikal's Yury Timofeyev and Nikolai Kadakin were sent off for 10 minutes. Almost immediately after the restart, Konstantin Savchenko delivered a pass to Nasonov to make the score 3-2.

The discipline that head coach Alexander Shishkin had so stressed throughout the tournament fell apart completely for Baikal in the second half. Penalties to Nasonov (for playing with a broken stick) and Timofeyev (hooking) put Baikal down two men early in the half. Just moments before the penalties were to be released, Mikhail Kopty tied the score.

Savchenko recorded another assist on what should have been the game-winning goal from Kadakin in the 62nd minute, but 10 minutes later Vladimir Charykov tied the score, robbing Baikal of two points and sending them further down the tables.

If Baikal hopes to recover in the tournament, they couldn't have a tougher road ahead of them - tomorrow they take on tournament hosts and last year's bronze medalists, Kuzbass.

Other scores:

Kuzbass Kemerovo 18:3 SKA Zabaikalets-Energia Chita (Group II)
Volga Ulyanovsk 4:2 Start Nizhny Novgorod (Group I)
Dynamo Moscow 12:2 Vodnik Arkhangelsk (Group I)