BOULDER, Colorado -- Dynamo Moscow is currently the best bandy club in the world, according the the latest ratings (including matches from October 16-November 1) by the website bandynet.ru. Just behind the Moscow club sit Zorky Krasnogorsk and Kuzbass Kemerovo.
The highest ranked team from outside Russia is Sweden's Edsbyns IF, which finished second in this year's ExTe World Cup to Dynamo. Finland's Tornea PV topped all other Finnish clubs at #20 despite losing all three matches in Ljusdal. Stabaek Bandy, also winless at the tournament, was ranked the top Norwegian club at #40.
All 21 teams from the Russian Bandy League made it into the top 50. Dynamo-Syktyvkar received the lowest rating, finishing 47th. Baikal-Energia's disappointing pre-season has them mired in the 15th spot, with nine Russian clubs ranked ahead of them.
The rankings, conducted last season by the Krasnoyarsk-based website RedYarsk, were begun this fall by Bandynet. They are based mostly on the performance of each club during the two-week period of the ranking.
This weekend: the final leg of the Russian Cup!
Showing posts with label Russian Cup. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Russian Cup. Show all posts
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Monday, October 22, 2007
No Russian Cup This Season for Baikal
BOULDER, Colorado -- Baikal-Energia Irkutsk's disappointing (pre-)season continued as they finished the second round of the Russian Cup mired in third place in their group, eliminating them from the final round tournament, to be held in Moscow November 3-5.
The second round began Wednesday in the cities of Moscow, Kirov, Kemerovo and Krasnoyarsk. The top two teams from each group qualify for the finals.
Kuzbass Kemerovo won the third group, going undefeated on their home ice. They were followed by Sibselmash Novosibirsk with a 2-1 record. Baikal's 1-2 finish put them in third, followed by Mayak Krasnoturinsk, who went winless.
After starting Wednesday's action with a 7-1 win over Mayak, Baikal was blown out by Kuzbass 13-5 (an all too familiar outcome over the past couple of seasons) on Thursday. Despite a two-goal effort from Yevgeny Yakovlev, they lost 5-2 to Sibselmash Saturday to book their tickets back to Irkutsk to await the opening of the regular season.
Joining Kuzbass and Sibselmash in Moscow will be Zorky Krasonogorsk and Dynamo Moscow. Zorky scored a surprise victory over Dynamo in the final game of the tournament, beating the defending cup champions 9-5 on the strength of five goals from the Nordic trio of David Karlsson, Sami Laakkonen and Ville Aaltonen. Vodnik Arkahngelsk and Start Nizhny Novgorod, who allowed a tournament-high 37 goals in three games, rounded out the table.
From Kirov, home side Rodina and Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk finished 1-2, each with two victories. Volga Ulyanovsk also registered six points, but their -3 goal differential put them in third place, while Raketa Kazan finished winless.
Finally, SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk put in a dominating performance in group 4, outscoring the opposition 26-4. Yenisei Krasnoyarsk finished second, while Sayany Abakan and Lesokhimik Ust-Ilimisk failed to qualify.
The regular season opens for Baikal on November 21st at home against SKA-Neftyanik.
The second round began Wednesday in the cities of Moscow, Kirov, Kemerovo and Krasnoyarsk. The top two teams from each group qualify for the finals.
Kuzbass Kemerovo won the third group, going undefeated on their home ice. They were followed by Sibselmash Novosibirsk with a 2-1 record. Baikal's 1-2 finish put them in third, followed by Mayak Krasnoturinsk, who went winless.
After starting Wednesday's action with a 7-1 win over Mayak, Baikal was blown out by Kuzbass 13-5 (an all too familiar outcome over the past couple of seasons) on Thursday. Despite a two-goal effort from Yevgeny Yakovlev, they lost 5-2 to Sibselmash Saturday to book their tickets back to Irkutsk to await the opening of the regular season.
Joining Kuzbass and Sibselmash in Moscow will be Zorky Krasonogorsk and Dynamo Moscow. Zorky scored a surprise victory over Dynamo in the final game of the tournament, beating the defending cup champions 9-5 on the strength of five goals from the Nordic trio of David Karlsson, Sami Laakkonen and Ville Aaltonen. Vodnik Arkahngelsk and Start Nizhny Novgorod, who allowed a tournament-high 37 goals in three games, rounded out the table.
From Kirov, home side Rodina and Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk finished 1-2, each with two victories. Volga Ulyanovsk also registered six points, but their -3 goal differential put them in third place, while Raketa Kazan finished winless.
Finally, SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk put in a dominating performance in group 4, outscoring the opposition 26-4. Yenisei Krasnoyarsk finished second, while Sayany Abakan and Lesokhimik Ust-Ilimisk failed to qualify.
The regular season opens for Baikal on November 21st at home against SKA-Neftyanik.
Friday, October 05, 2007
Baikal-Energia Squeaks into Round II
BOULDER, Colorado -- I have not reported in a while because, to be honest, I was scared to watch Baikal-Energia after their dismal performances against SKA-Neftyanik, Mayak and Kuzbass. And I was correct to not watch them - they went 2-3 for the rest of the first round, just barely taking the sixth spot to guarantee a place in round 2.
After the Kuzbass loss, they were trounced again by Yenisei Krasnoyarsk, 8-3 on September 9th. Two days later, they bounced back, though only slightly, besting Sayany Abakan 3-2 (the team that fell to seventh place, just one point behind Irkutsk.) A 3-1 win over Mettalurg Bratsk was only temporary consolation, as they lost their final two games, against Sibselmash Novosibirsk 8-5, and lowly Lesokhimik Ust-Ilimsk, 6-5.
Ugh - the prospects for Baikal in Moscow do not look too bright for this year's team. Maybe Lesokhimik is a better bet ...
Round 2 begins October 17th.
After the Kuzbass loss, they were trounced again by Yenisei Krasnoyarsk, 8-3 on September 9th. Two days later, they bounced back, though only slightly, besting Sayany Abakan 3-2 (the team that fell to seventh place, just one point behind Irkutsk.) A 3-1 win over Mettalurg Bratsk was only temporary consolation, as they lost their final two games, against Sibselmash Novosibirsk 8-5, and lowly Lesokhimik Ust-Ilimsk, 6-5.
Ugh - the prospects for Baikal in Moscow do not look too bright for this year's team. Maybe Lesokhimik is a better bet ...
Round 2 begins October 17th.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
I'm Speechless...Kuzbass 13, Baikal 1
Khimik Stadium, KEMEROVO, Russia -- Tournament hosts Kuzbass defeated Baikal-Energia Irkutsk 13-1 Tuesday, putting them in danger of falling out of the top six spots in Group II of the Russia Cup.
The top six teams in each group advance automatically to the second round, while the remaining teams must play in a qualifying tournament to determine the final two spots.
This game was such a one-sided thrashing, it is not worth the time or effort to recount it. Nikolai Kadakin scored Baikal's lone goal, in the 37th minute, when the score already stood at 7-0.
Coming into the tournament, this was thought to be a marquee match-up, as these teams finished first and second in the final east division standings last season. But Baikal's mediocre play leading up to this game indicated that it would likely not be a fair contest. Even the fans knew this, as only 1,000 spectators showed up.
Other Scores:
SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk 14:3 SKA-Sverdlovsk Yekaterinburg (Group II)
Mayak Krasnoturinsk 4:4 SKA Zabaikalets-Energia Chita (Group II)
Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk 18:1 Zorky-2 Krasnogorsk (Group I)
Vodnik Arkhangelsk 6:3 Start Nizhny Novgorod (Group I)
Dynamo Moscow 16:6 Volga Ulyanovsk (Group I)
Current Standings:
GP/Pts./GF-GA
Group I
1. Dynamo Moscow - 4/12/50-9
2. Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk - 5/9/44-19
3. Volga Ulyanovsk - 4/9/15-11
4. Zorky Krasnogorsk - 3/7/26-6
5. Vodnik Arkhangelsk - 4/6/19-25
6. Rodina Kirov - 3/5/22-9
7. Raketa Kazan - 3/4/18-23
8. Start Nizhny Novgorod - 4/3/13-36
9. Stroitel Syktyvkar - 3/0/10-38
10. Zorky-2 Krasnogorsk 5/0/11-62
Group II
1. SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk - 5/15/40-15
2. Kuzbass Kemerovo - 5/12/62-15
3. Sibselmash Novosibirsk - 4/9/23-12
4. Sayany Abakan - 4/9/14-11
5. Yenisei Krasnoyarsk - 4/7/16-10
6. Baikal-Energia Irkutsk - 5/7/19-30
7. Mayak Krasnoturinsk - 5/5/27-29
8. Metallurg Bratsk - 4/3/13-23
9. SKA Zabaikalets-Energia Chita - 5/2/16-42
10. Lesokhimik Ust-Ilimsk - 4/1/12-22
11. SKA-Sverdlovsk Yekaterinburg - 5/1/19-52
The top six teams in each group advance automatically to the second round, while the remaining teams must play in a qualifying tournament to determine the final two spots.
This game was such a one-sided thrashing, it is not worth the time or effort to recount it. Nikolai Kadakin scored Baikal's lone goal, in the 37th minute, when the score already stood at 7-0.
Coming into the tournament, this was thought to be a marquee match-up, as these teams finished first and second in the final east division standings last season. But Baikal's mediocre play leading up to this game indicated that it would likely not be a fair contest. Even the fans knew this, as only 1,000 spectators showed up.
Other Scores:
SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk 14:3 SKA-Sverdlovsk Yekaterinburg (Group II)
Mayak Krasnoturinsk 4:4 SKA Zabaikalets-Energia Chita (Group II)
Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk 18:1 Zorky-2 Krasnogorsk (Group I)
Vodnik Arkhangelsk 6:3 Start Nizhny Novgorod (Group I)
Dynamo Moscow 16:6 Volga Ulyanovsk (Group I)
Current Standings:
GP/Pts./GF-GA
Group I
1. Dynamo Moscow - 4/12/50-9
2. Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk - 5/9/44-19
3. Volga Ulyanovsk - 4/9/15-11
4. Zorky Krasnogorsk - 3/7/26-6
5. Vodnik Arkhangelsk - 4/6/19-25
6. Rodina Kirov - 3/5/22-9
7. Raketa Kazan - 3/4/18-23
8. Start Nizhny Novgorod - 4/3/13-36
9. Stroitel Syktyvkar - 3/0/10-38
10. Zorky-2 Krasnogorsk 5/0/11-62
Group II
1. SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk - 5/15/40-15
2. Kuzbass Kemerovo - 5/12/62-15
3. Sibselmash Novosibirsk - 4/9/23-12
4. Sayany Abakan - 4/9/14-11
5. Yenisei Krasnoyarsk - 4/7/16-10
6. Baikal-Energia Irkutsk - 5/7/19-30
7. Mayak Krasnoturinsk - 5/5/27-29
8. Metallurg Bratsk - 4/3/13-23
9. SKA Zabaikalets-Energia Chita - 5/2/16-42
10. Lesokhimik Ust-Ilimsk - 4/1/12-22
11. SKA-Sverdlovsk Yekaterinburg - 5/1/19-52
Monday, August 27, 2007
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)
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)
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Former Teammates Embarass Baikal, Neftyanik Wins 8-4
Khimik Stadium, KEMEROVO, Russia -- Baikal-Energia Irkutsk fans had been waiting for this match for weeks, ever since six players left the team amid bitter contract disputes for rival SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk.
Within minutes, Khabarovsk proved that these were players Baikal could not afford to lose.
For Baikal, 19-year-old Ilya Novitsky made the first start of his career in goal, and he did not impress, allowing seven goals in just the first 30 minutes.
"Our goalie was nowhere," Baikal head coach Alexander Shishkin said. "He had to step up at certain moments, and he basically didn't step up at all."
Shishkin admitted that Khabarovsk, who finished last season well behind Baikal in the standings, was the stronger team now.
"Of course, in some areas, Khabarovsk is in a higher class," he said. "But to play so disorganized in the first half - for us that was nonsense. In skill, in technique, we're behind Khabarovsk."
Two goals each from Yevgeny Stebletsov, Stanislav Ismagilov and Sergei Yusupov, as well as an unassisted tally from Yevgeny Mavrin opened up a massive 7-0 lead.
Baikal bounced back with three goals, starting with one from Konstantin Savchenko in the 54th minute. That was followed by Pavel Naumov in the 64th, then Alexander Nasonov in the 75th - his first of the tournament.
Four minutes later, Ismagilov capped off his hat trick to halt Baikal's rally. Maxim Blem cut the lead back to four in the 82nd minute, off a corner delivered by Savchenko. That assist gives him eight points for the tournament (two goals, six assists), which leads the team.
Other Sunday scores:
SKA Zabaikalets-Energia 5:5 SKA-Sverdlovsk Yekaterinburg (Group II)
Vodnik Arkhangelsk 8:5 Zorky-2 Krasnogorsk (Group I)
Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk 7:4 Volga Ulyanovsk (Group I)
Current Standings:
GP/Pts./GF-GA
Group I
1. Dynamo Moscow - 3/9/38-5
2. Zorky Krasnogorsk - 3/7/26-6
3. Volga Ulyanovsk - 2/6/15-13
4. Vodnik Arkhangelsk - 3/6/15-13
5. Rodina Kirov - 3/5/22-9
6. Raketa Kazan - 3/4/18-23
7. Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk - 3/3/19-14
8. Start Nizhny Novgorod - 3/3/11-32
9. Stroitel Syktyvkar - 3/0/10-38
10. Zorky-2 Krasnogorsk 3/0/10-44
Group II
1. SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk - 4/12/26-12
2. Sibselmash Novosibirsk - 4/9/23-12
3. Sayany Abakan - 4/9/14-11
4. Yenisei Krasnoyarsk - 4/7/16-10
5. Kuzbass Kemerovo - 3/6/31-11
6. Baikal-Energia Irkutsk - 3/6/14-13
7. Mayak Krasnoturinsk - 3/3/19-21
8. Metallurg Bratsk - 4/3/13-23
9. Lesokhimik Ust-Ilimsk - 4/1/12-22
10. SKA Zabaikalets-Energia Chita - 3/1/9-20
11. SKA-Sverdlovsk Yekaterinburg - 4/1/16-38
Within minutes, Khabarovsk proved that these were players Baikal could not afford to lose.
For Baikal, 19-year-old Ilya Novitsky made the first start of his career in goal, and he did not impress, allowing seven goals in just the first 30 minutes.
"Our goalie was nowhere," Baikal head coach Alexander Shishkin said. "He had to step up at certain moments, and he basically didn't step up at all."
Shishkin admitted that Khabarovsk, who finished last season well behind Baikal in the standings, was the stronger team now.
"Of course, in some areas, Khabarovsk is in a higher class," he said. "But to play so disorganized in the first half - for us that was nonsense. In skill, in technique, we're behind Khabarovsk."
Two goals each from Yevgeny Stebletsov, Stanislav Ismagilov and Sergei Yusupov, as well as an unassisted tally from Yevgeny Mavrin opened up a massive 7-0 lead.
Baikal bounced back with three goals, starting with one from Konstantin Savchenko in the 54th minute. That was followed by Pavel Naumov in the 64th, then Alexander Nasonov in the 75th - his first of the tournament.
Four minutes later, Ismagilov capped off his hat trick to halt Baikal's rally. Maxim Blem cut the lead back to four in the 82nd minute, off a corner delivered by Savchenko. That assist gives him eight points for the tournament (two goals, six assists), which leads the team.
Other Sunday scores:
SKA Zabaikalets-Energia 5:5 SKA-Sverdlovsk Yekaterinburg (Group II)
Vodnik Arkhangelsk 8:5 Zorky-2 Krasnogorsk (Group I)
Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk 7:4 Volga Ulyanovsk (Group I)
Current Standings:
GP/Pts./GF-GA
Group I
1. Dynamo Moscow - 3/9/38-5
2. Zorky Krasnogorsk - 3/7/26-6
3. Volga Ulyanovsk - 2/6/15-13
4. Vodnik Arkhangelsk - 3/6/15-13
5. Rodina Kirov - 3/5/22-9
6. Raketa Kazan - 3/4/18-23
7. Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk - 3/3/19-14
8. Start Nizhny Novgorod - 3/3/11-32
9. Stroitel Syktyvkar - 3/0/10-38
10. Zorky-2 Krasnogorsk 3/0/10-44
Group II
1. SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk - 4/12/26-12
2. Sibselmash Novosibirsk - 4/9/23-12
3. Sayany Abakan - 4/9/14-11
4. Yenisei Krasnoyarsk - 4/7/16-10
5. Kuzbass Kemerovo - 3/6/31-11
6. Baikal-Energia Irkutsk - 3/6/14-13
7. Mayak Krasnoturinsk - 3/3/19-21
8. Metallurg Bratsk - 4/3/13-23
9. Lesokhimik Ust-Ilimsk - 4/1/12-22
10. SKA Zabaikalets-Energia Chita - 3/1/9-20
11. SKA-Sverdlovsk Yekaterinburg - 4/1/16-38
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Kadakin Scores 4 As Baikal Tops Chita 6-2
Khimik Stadium, KEMEROVO, Russia -- Nikolai Kadakin's natural hat trick in the first 24 minutes were enough for Baikal-Energia Irkutsk to record their second victory in as many games in the first round of the Russian Cup, besting SKA Zabaikalets-Energia Chita, 6-2.
"Right now the goal for the team is move onto the next round," said Baikal-Energia head coach Alexander Shishkin, as reported on the team's website. "Therefore we have to find new line combinations that include our young players. All of that is essential for creating an effective team, able to confront serious tasks ahead in the regular season."
Mikhail Yefimov got Chita on the board in the 39th minute, but they would never cut the deficit to less than two. Kadakin scored again off a pass from Alexander Nasonov shortly after the break, but Alexander Trufanov answered again for Zabaikalets, making it 4-2.
Yevgeny Yakovlev, the captain and leading scorer for Chita last season, added an insurance goal in the 88th minute, followed by Denis Nokhrin a minute later to cap off the scoring.
Effective corners were again a key to this match, as Baikal scored three goals this way, two off of perfect passes from Konstantin Savchenko. More importantly, however, the team played much more disciplined than in their first match.
"In the first game, we told the team to play very calmly - the message was discipline. But it turned out that everyone played with a lot of nerves," Shishkin said. "There's always going to be nervousness in the first game. In the second game, everything changed, and the results were different."
A player who certainly shook off some nerves was teenage goalie Yevgeny Utin, who recorded his second win in his second start after a somewhat shaky debut. Baikal's next game will be on Sunday against SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk.
Other scores:
Friday, August 24
Kuzbass Kemerovo 10:5 Mayak Krasnoturinsk (Group II)
Volga Ulyanovsk 6:2 Vodnik Arkhangelsk (Group I)
Dynamo Moscow 15:0 Start Nizhny Novgorod (Group I)
"Right now the goal for the team is move onto the next round," said Baikal-Energia head coach Alexander Shishkin, as reported on the team's website. "Therefore we have to find new line combinations that include our young players. All of that is essential for creating an effective team, able to confront serious tasks ahead in the regular season."
Mikhail Yefimov got Chita on the board in the 39th minute, but they would never cut the deficit to less than two. Kadakin scored again off a pass from Alexander Nasonov shortly after the break, but Alexander Trufanov answered again for Zabaikalets, making it 4-2.
Yevgeny Yakovlev, the captain and leading scorer for Chita last season, added an insurance goal in the 88th minute, followed by Denis Nokhrin a minute later to cap off the scoring.
Effective corners were again a key to this match, as Baikal scored three goals this way, two off of perfect passes from Konstantin Savchenko. More importantly, however, the team played much more disciplined than in their first match.
"In the first game, we told the team to play very calmly - the message was discipline. But it turned out that everyone played with a lot of nerves," Shishkin said. "There's always going to be nervousness in the first game. In the second game, everything changed, and the results were different."
A player who certainly shook off some nerves was teenage goalie Yevgeny Utin, who recorded his second win in his second start after a somewhat shaky debut. Baikal's next game will be on Sunday against SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk.
Other scores:
Friday, August 24
Kuzbass Kemerovo 10:5 Mayak Krasnoturinsk (Group II)
Volga Ulyanovsk 6:2 Vodnik Arkhangelsk (Group I)
Dynamo Moscow 15:0 Start Nizhny Novgorod (Group I)
Friday, August 24, 2007
Baikal-Zabaikalets
Khimik Stadium, KEMEROVO, Russia -- Nikolai Kadakin - I anoint you King of All Media. Four goals, and still a lot of hockey to go.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Baikal-Energia Starts Russian Cup with Win Over Sverdlovsk
Khimik Stadium, KEMEROVO, Russia -- Baikal-Energia won their first game of the Russian Cup, albeit not very impressively, barely besting SKA-Sverdlovsk Yekaterinburg, 4-3.
Five minutes in, forward Sanya Nosonov tried to get the offense moving, firing a shot off the post. But Sverdlovsk counterattacked, slipping one by 18-year-old goaltender Yevgeny Utin in the seventh minute as Vitaly Pozdnyakov scored off a pass from Dmitry Stepchenkov.
Nasonov's next move would even the score, however, as he delivered an assist to Konstantin Savchenko (pictured right) in the 13th minute. Sverdlovsk kept up the pressure for the remainder of the first half, but to no avail. Despite their offensive difficulties, Irkutsk did manage to work corners into a pair of goals - Savchenko delivered passes to Maxim Blem and newcomer Yevgeny Yakovlev to put Irkutsk up 3-1 going into the locker room.
Ten minutes after the break, Nasonov set a play in motion that would result in the game-winner. From beyond the center ice line, he delivered a perfect aerial pass to Savchenko right in front of the opponents' net. After stickhandling past two defenders, he placed the ball right on Yakovlev's stick, who fired it in from beyond the circle.
Baikal's poor defensive play nearly proved its undoing. Before the game had reached the 60 minute mark, Sverdlovsk would cut Irkutsk's lead from three to one, as Yury Marinov and Alexei Shevchenko scored in quick succession, but Utin managed to hold off the offense and record the victory.
Baikal-Energia's next game will be Friday against SKA-Zabaikalets-Energia Chita.
In Neftyanik's 9-2 win against Zabaikalets, former Baikal-Energia player Sergei Yusupov scored a pair of goals, while Maxim Gavrilenko had a goal and two assists. Here are the rest of the Russian Cup scores:
Wednesday, August 22
SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk 5:3 Mayak Krasnoturnisk (Group II)
Kuzbass Kemerovo 18:2 SKA-Sverdlovsk Yekaterinburg (Group II)
Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk 13:1 Start Nizhny Novgorod (Group I)
Dynamo Moscow 15:1 Zorky-2 Krasnogorsk (Group I)
Thursday, August 23
SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk 9:2 SKA-Zabaikalets-Energia Chita (Group II)
Vodnik Arkhangelsk 5:2 Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk (Group I)
Volga Ulyanovsk 11:0 Zorky-2 Krasnogorsk (Group I)
Five minutes in, forward Sanya Nosonov tried to get the offense moving, firing a shot off the post. But Sverdlovsk counterattacked, slipping one by 18-year-old goaltender Yevgeny Utin in the seventh minute as Vitaly Pozdnyakov scored off a pass from Dmitry Stepchenkov.
Nasonov's next move would even the score, however, as he delivered an assist to Konstantin Savchenko (pictured right) in the 13th minute. Sverdlovsk kept up the pressure for the remainder of the first half, but to no avail. Despite their offensive difficulties, Irkutsk did manage to work corners into a pair of goals - Savchenko delivered passes to Maxim Blem and newcomer Yevgeny Yakovlev to put Irkutsk up 3-1 going into the locker room.
Ten minutes after the break, Nasonov set a play in motion that would result in the game-winner. From beyond the center ice line, he delivered a perfect aerial pass to Savchenko right in front of the opponents' net. After stickhandling past two defenders, he placed the ball right on Yakovlev's stick, who fired it in from beyond the circle.
Baikal's poor defensive play nearly proved its undoing. Before the game had reached the 60 minute mark, Sverdlovsk would cut Irkutsk's lead from three to one, as Yury Marinov and Alexei Shevchenko scored in quick succession, but Utin managed to hold off the offense and record the victory.
Baikal-Energia's next game will be Friday against SKA-Zabaikalets-Energia Chita.
In Neftyanik's 9-2 win against Zabaikalets, former Baikal-Energia player Sergei Yusupov scored a pair of goals, while Maxim Gavrilenko had a goal and two assists. Here are the rest of the Russian Cup scores:
Wednesday, August 22
SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk 5:3 Mayak Krasnoturnisk (Group II)
Kuzbass Kemerovo 18:2 SKA-Sverdlovsk Yekaterinburg (Group II)
Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk 13:1 Start Nizhny Novgorod (Group I)
Dynamo Moscow 15:1 Zorky-2 Krasnogorsk (Group I)
Thursday, August 23
SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk 9:2 SKA-Zabaikalets-Energia Chita (Group II)
Vodnik Arkhangelsk 5:2 Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk (Group I)
Volga Ulyanovsk 11:0 Zorky-2 Krasnogorsk (Group I)
Monday, August 20, 2007
SKA-Neftyanik Buys Up Baikal Stars
BOULDER, Colorado -- I am writing this post with a heavy heart indeed. It's been a foregone conclusion for a while now, but nine players from last year's roster have left Baikal-Energia Irkutsk, six of them going to divisional rival SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk, including my favorite player, Sergei Yusupov (pictured right).I had been holding off posting this terrible news, hoping some of them might return, but it was confirmed when Neftyanik announced their roster for the Russian Cup.
Along with Yusupov, Maxim Gavrilenko, Konstantin Yeryomenko, Sergei Rogulyov, Maxim Koshelev, and Andrei Kovalyov have moved to Khabarovsk. In addition, Dmitry Sokolov and Vasily Levi have moved to SKA-Zabaikalets-Energia Chita.
The offensive contributions of Yusupov and Rogulyov will be difficult to replace, as last season they scored 27 and 25 goals, respectively; Rogulyov led the team in overall scoring with 45 points, while Yusupov finished fourth with 31.
Finally, Baikal will be without defenseman Alexei Petrov, who has left after four years with the club, though it is still unknown where he will play this upcoming season.
But Baikal has a number of new additions. Forward Yevgeny Yakovlev and midfielder Yury Timofeyev have both moved over from Chita; Yakovlev led Chita in goal scoring last season with 22. Also, defenseman Andrei Veselov has arrived from Sayany Abakan, and midfielder Andrei Artyomenko has come over from Yenisei Krasnoyarsk.
On Friday, the Russian Bandy Federation also approved the transfers of defenseman Andrei Stolnikov from Volga Ulyanovsk and midfielder Pavel Naumov from Swedish side IFK Malmo.
Yusup, you will be missed. But tune in to Rambler audio to hear him play against his old club at 2am ET on Sunday, August 26 (this broadcast will be, of course, in Russian).
Baikal-Energia's first Russian Cup match will be on Thursday against Yekaterinburg, also at 2am ET (blame the 13 hour time difference).
Here's an updated version of their full Russian Cup first round schedule (all times Eastern):
August 23 - SKA-Sverdlovsk Yekaterinburg, 2am
August 24 - SKA-Zabaikalets Chita, 2am
August 26 - SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk, 2am
August 27 - Mayak Krasnoturinsk, 2am
August 28 - Kuzbass Kemerovo, 5am
September 9 - Yenisei Krasnoyarsk, 8am
September 11 - Sayany Abakan, 8am
September 12 - Metallurg Bratsk, 11pm
September 15 - Sibselmash Novosibirsk, 8am
September 16 - Lesokhimik Ust-Ilimsk, 8am
Update: Forward Nikolai Semyashkin has also joined Baikal-Energia from Vodnik Arkhangelsk, though he was only listed on the team's roster for the Russian Cup, according to rosters filed with the federation August 8. Former Baikal defenseman Alexei Petrov has joined Chita, but he is also currently only on the Russian Cup roster.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Update: Russian Cup Gets Underway in Moscow, Kemerovo
BOULDER, Colorado -- The first leg of the Russian Cup began on Tuesday, with Moscow playing host to the West Division teams in Group I, and Kemerovo hosting Group II.
The tournament is a round robin that lasts until September 16. The top six teams in each group will then move on to the second round. The 7th-11th place finishers from round 1 will then play anther round robin tournament in two groups of five teams; the first- and second-place finishers in each group will continue on to the second round, bringing the total field to 16 teams. For round 2, the 16 teams are divided into four groups, and again they play a round robin tournament. Finally, the first- and second-place finishers in each group of the second round move on to the single-elimination finals, to be held in Moscow November 3-5.
This upcoming season, the citizens of Orenburg will not be able to see their team, Lokomotiv, take part in the Cup or play in the top league, as their last place finish relegated them to the lower division. Their place in the West Division will be taken by Zorky-2, Zorky Krasnogorsk's alternate squad.
AMNGR-Murman Murmansk has decided not to participate in the Russian Cup, citing financial difficulties, and there is some question as to whether the club will be able to play in the top league this season, meaning Group I will consist of only 10 teams.
Editor's Note: The added or corrected portions are in bold. It was originally reported that the top eight teams from each division will reach the second round of the Russian Cup.
The tournament is a round robin that lasts until September 16. The top six teams in each group will then move on to the second round. The 7th-11th place finishers from round 1 will then play anther round robin tournament in two groups of five teams; the first- and second-place finishers in each group will continue on to the second round, bringing the total field to 16 teams. For round 2, the 16 teams are divided into four groups, and again they play a round robin tournament. Finally, the first- and second-place finishers in each group of the second round move on to the single-elimination finals, to be held in Moscow November 3-5.
This upcoming season, the citizens of Orenburg will not be able to see their team, Lokomotiv, take part in the Cup or play in the top league, as their last place finish relegated them to the lower division. Their place in the West Division will be taken by Zorky-2, Zorky Krasnogorsk's alternate squad.
AMNGR-Murman Murmansk has decided not to participate in the Russian Cup, citing financial difficulties, and there is some question as to whether the club will be able to play in the top league this season, meaning Group I will consist of only 10 teams.
Editor's Note: The added or corrected portions are in bold. It was originally reported that the top eight teams from each division will reach the second round of the Russian Cup.
Updated Russian Cup Scores
BOULDER, Colorado -- Here are the latest scores from round 1 of the Russian Cup:
August 16
Lesokhimik Ust-Ilimsk 3:3 Yenisei Krasnoyarsk (Group II)
Rodina Kirov 12:1 Stroitel Syktyvkar (Group I)
August 17
Sibselmash Novosibirsk 3:1 Sayany Abakan (Group II)
Metallurg Bratsk 6:2 Lesokhimik Ust-Ilimsk (Group II)
Zorky Krasnogorsk 11:1 Raketa Kazan (Group I)
August 18
Yenisei Krasnoyarsk 7:1 Metallurg Bratsk (Group II)
August 16
Lesokhimik Ust-Ilimsk 3:3 Yenisei Krasnoyarsk (Group II)
Rodina Kirov 12:1 Stroitel Syktyvkar (Group I)
August 17
Sibselmash Novosibirsk 3:1 Sayany Abakan (Group II)
Metallurg Bratsk 6:2 Lesokhimik Ust-Ilimsk (Group II)
Zorky Krasnogorsk 11:1 Raketa Kazan (Group I)
August 18
Yenisei Krasnoyarsk 7:1 Metallurg Bratsk (Group II)
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Russian Cup Gets Underway in Moscow, Kemerovo
BOULDER, Colorado -- The first leg of the Russian Cup began on Tuesday, with Moscow playing host to the West Division teams in Group I, and Kemerovo hosting Group II.
The tournament is a round robin that lasts until September 16. The top eight teams in each group will then move on to the second round, in which the 16 teams are divided into four groups, and again they play a round robin tournament. Finally, the first- and second-place finishers in each group of the second round move on to the single-elimination finals, to be held in Moscow November 3-5.
This upcoming season, the citizens of Orenburg will not be able to see their team, Lokomotiv, take part in the Cup or play in the top league, as their last place finish relegated them to the lower division. Their place in the West Division will be taken by Zorky-2, Zorky Krasnogorsk's alternate squad.
Here are the scores from the first two days of competition:
August 14
Zorky Krasnogorsk 12-2 Stroitel Syktyvkar (Group I)
Sayany Abakan 6-4 Metallurg Bratsk (Group II)
Sibselmash Novosibirsk 8-4 Lesokhimik Ust-Ilimsk (Group II)
August 15
Raketa Kazan 5-5 Rodina Kirov (Group I)
Sayany Abakan 2-1 Yenisei Krasnoyarsk (Group II)
Sibselmash Novosibirsk 8-2 Metallurg Bratsk (Group II)
Baikal-Energia Irkutsk does not begin their Russian Cup season until August 23, when they will take on SKA-Sverdlovsk Yekaterinburg. Here's the rest of Baikal's first round schedule (all times Eastern):
August 23 - SKA-Sverdlovsk Yekaterinburg, 2am
August 24 - SKA-Zabaikalets Chita, 2am
August 26 - SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk, 2am
August 27 - Mayak Krasnoturinsk, 2am
August 28 - Kuzbass Kemerovo*, 5am
September 9 - Yenisei Krasnoyarsk, 8am
September 11 - Sayany Abakan, 8am
September 12 - Metallurg Bratsk, 11pm
September 15 - Sibselmash Novosibirsk, 8am
September 16 - Lesokhimik Ust-Ilimsk, 8am
*Games marked in bold are key match-ups and/or regional rivalries for Baikal-Energia
The tournament is a round robin that lasts until September 16. The top eight teams in each group will then move on to the second round, in which the 16 teams are divided into four groups, and again they play a round robin tournament. Finally, the first- and second-place finishers in each group of the second round move on to the single-elimination finals, to be held in Moscow November 3-5.
This upcoming season, the citizens of Orenburg will not be able to see their team, Lokomotiv, take part in the Cup or play in the top league, as their last place finish relegated them to the lower division. Their place in the West Division will be taken by Zorky-2, Zorky Krasnogorsk's alternate squad.
Here are the scores from the first two days of competition:
August 14
Zorky Krasnogorsk 12-2 Stroitel Syktyvkar (Group I)
Sayany Abakan 6-4 Metallurg Bratsk (Group II)
Sibselmash Novosibirsk 8-4 Lesokhimik Ust-Ilimsk (Group II)
August 15
Raketa Kazan 5-5 Rodina Kirov (Group I)
Sayany Abakan 2-1 Yenisei Krasnoyarsk (Group II)
Sibselmash Novosibirsk 8-2 Metallurg Bratsk (Group II)
Baikal-Energia Irkutsk does not begin their Russian Cup season until August 23, when they will take on SKA-Sverdlovsk Yekaterinburg. Here's the rest of Baikal's first round schedule (all times Eastern):
August 23 - SKA-Sverdlovsk Yekaterinburg, 2am
August 24 - SKA-Zabaikalets Chita, 2am
August 26 - SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk, 2am
August 27 - Mayak Krasnoturinsk, 2am
August 28 - Kuzbass Kemerovo*, 5am
September 9 - Yenisei Krasnoyarsk, 8am
September 11 - Sayany Abakan, 8am
September 12 - Metallurg Bratsk, 11pm
September 15 - Sibselmash Novosibirsk, 8am
September 16 - Lesokhimik Ust-Ilimsk, 8am
*Games marked in bold are key match-ups and/or regional rivalries for Baikal-Energia
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Apologies, and Baikail-Energia Undefeated 2 Weeks Into Season
BOULDER, Colorado -- I would like to start off this post by apologizing for my delinquency. It has been well over a month since I posted any information, and neglect is the surest way to kill any website, weblog or otherwise. The demands of graduate school have put Bandy Central on the back burner, but getting back up to speed with the bandy world has been a welcome reprieve from my work as of late, much more welcome (and productive) than watching Oprah or listening to my police scanner.
So, onto the news...
Krylatskoye Stadium, MOSCOW, Russia -- The biggest news since my last post was Dynamo Moscow's victory in the Russian Cup way back on November 7th. Baikal-Energia Irkutsk had the misfortune to face off with the Moscow juggernaut in the semifinals, a match Dynamo won 10-5. Irkutsk was coming off a huge victory in the quarterfinals over archrival Yenisei Krasnoyarsk, a game that was decided in the 78th minute when captain Nikolai Kadakin put Baikal up for good with his third goal of the game. Konstantin Savchenko added an insurance goal six minutes later to give Irkutsk the 7-5 victory.
In the semis, despite the five-goal margin, Baikal kept it close late in the match. Baikal held a 2-0 lead almost 30 minutes into the game, but seven unanswered goals by Dynamo put them in a hole they could not crawl out of. But in the 83rd minute, Sergei Yusupov offered some hope as his goal off a corner cut the lead to 8-5. But Maxim Chermnykh's two goals in quick succession in the final minutes iced the game for Moscow and put them in a position to win their second consecutive Russian Cup on home ice.
Facing regional rival Zorky Krasnogorsk, Dynamo exploded out of the gate, and the outcome of this game was decided by the 22 minute mark when Rinat Shamsutov netted the second of his three goals to give Dynamo a commanding 6-0 lead; by the end of the half, Zorky was staring at a 8-0 defecit. In the second half, Zorky's legionnaires tried to mount a comeback against a lineup largely of Dynamo reserves as Laakkonen netted a pair, but the lead was too large, and Dynamo raised the Russian Cup beneath the rafters of Moscow's Krylatskoye stadium for the second year in a row after an 8-4 victory.
Trud Stadium, IRKUTSK, Russia -- Turning to the Russian League, Baikal-Energia remains at the top of the tables in the East Division with an impressive string of home victories over SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk (6-2), Sayany Abakan (8-0), Kuzbass Kemerovo (4-3) and Lesokhimik Ust-Ilimsk (8-4). Yenisei and Kuzbass sit behind Irkutsk in the standings, both with 3-1 records.
In the west division, the odd scheduling has Dynamo Moscow sitting in first place with eight wins through eight games, while no other club has played more than four. Zorky is also undefeated with four wins, while Rodina Kirov sits in third place with a 3-0 record.
Keep checking in for more bandy news, as I will be more diligent in the future at keeping this site updated, and I will soon be posting the box scores for Baikal-Energia's first four matches.
So, onto the news...
Krylatskoye Stadium, MOSCOW, Russia -- The biggest news since my last post was Dynamo Moscow's victory in the Russian Cup way back on November 7th. Baikal-Energia Irkutsk had the misfortune to face off with the Moscow juggernaut in the semifinals, a match Dynamo won 10-5. Irkutsk was coming off a huge victory in the quarterfinals over archrival Yenisei Krasnoyarsk, a game that was decided in the 78th minute when captain Nikolai Kadakin put Baikal up for good with his third goal of the game. Konstantin Savchenko added an insurance goal six minutes later to give Irkutsk the 7-5 victory.
In the semis, despite the five-goal margin, Baikal kept it close late in the match. Baikal held a 2-0 lead almost 30 minutes into the game, but seven unanswered goals by Dynamo put them in a hole they could not crawl out of. But in the 83rd minute, Sergei Yusupov offered some hope as his goal off a corner cut the lead to 8-5. But Maxim Chermnykh's two goals in quick succession in the final minutes iced the game for Moscow and put them in a position to win their second consecutive Russian Cup on home ice.
Facing regional rival Zorky Krasnogorsk, Dynamo exploded out of the gate, and the outcome of this game was decided by the 22 minute mark when Rinat Shamsutov netted the second of his three goals to give Dynamo a commanding 6-0 lead; by the end of the half, Zorky was staring at a 8-0 defecit. In the second half, Zorky's legionnaires tried to mount a comeback against a lineup largely of Dynamo reserves as Laakkonen netted a pair, but the lead was too large, and Dynamo raised the Russian Cup beneath the rafters of Moscow's Krylatskoye stadium for the second year in a row after an 8-4 victory.
Trud Stadium, IRKUTSK, Russia -- Turning to the Russian League, Baikal-Energia remains at the top of the tables in the East Division with an impressive string of home victories over SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk (6-2), Sayany Abakan (8-0), Kuzbass Kemerovo (4-3) and Lesokhimik Ust-Ilimsk (8-4). Yenisei and Kuzbass sit behind Irkutsk in the standings, both with 3-1 records.
In the west division, the odd scheduling has Dynamo Moscow sitting in first place with eight wins through eight games, while no other club has played more than four. Zorky is also undefeated with four wins, while Rodina Kirov sits in third place with a 3-0 record.
Keep checking in for more bandy news, as I will be more diligent in the future at keeping this site updated, and I will soon be posting the box scores for Baikal-Energia's first four matches.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Baikal Stays Atop Group IV, Weather Delays Sunday Matchup
Rekord Stadium, IRKUTSK, Russia -- Baikal-Energia Irkutsk remained undefeated as they hosted the Group IV matches of round 2 of the Russian Cup, beating regional rival Metallurg Bratsk 6-1 on Sunday.
Alexander Nasonov scored three times and added an assist as Baikal-Energia cruised to an easy victory. Alexei Negrun got the start in goal for Irkutsk, but he was replaced in the 77th minute by the youngster Alexei Savelev to give him his first action of the tournament.
The temperature was a toasty +4C during the morning match, forcing organizers to move the afternoon game between SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk and Sayany Abakan to 11:00am local time Monday to avoid the afternoon heat.
Alexander Nasonov scored three times and added an assist as Baikal-Energia cruised to an easy victory. Alexei Negrun got the start in goal for Irkutsk, but he was replaced in the 77th minute by the youngster Alexei Savelev to give him his first action of the tournament.
The temperature was a toasty +4C during the morning match, forcing organizers to move the afternoon game between SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk and Sayany Abakan to 11:00am local time Monday to avoid the afternoon heat.
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Baikal-Energia Tops Sayany 7-3 in Russian Cup
Rekord Stadium, IRKUTSK, Russia -- Danila Savchenko scored two goals and added an assist as Baikal-Energia defeated Sayany Abakan 7-3 in the first Group IV game of round 2 of the Russian Bandy Cup.
Yevgeny Tkachuk managed a hat trick for Sayany, with all three goals coming off the rush.
Usually a highly defensive-minded team, Abakan allowed Baikal's first two goals in the first four minutes of play with goals from Savchenko and Andrei Kovalyov. But only two minutes later, Tkachuk added his first to put Sayany on the board. Alexander Nasonov increased the margin to two in the 35th minute, while Maksim Koshelev added the eventual game winner off a corner to increase Irkutsk's lead to 4-1. But just before the whistle to end the half, Tkachuk added his second of the game to cut the lead.
In the second half, Savchenko scored again off a pass from Koshelev in the 62nd minute, and Maksim Khaldin added another insurance goal for Baikal. Dmitry Kropotkin had a chance to get Sayany back into this one when he was awarded a penalty shot in the 83rd minute, but Baikal goalie Alexei Negrun didn't even have to make a play as the shot sailed wide.
In the final three minutes, Tkachuk capped off his hat trick, and Maksin Gavrilenko rounded out the scoring to give Irkutsk the victory and put them at the top of the tables in Group IV.
In other action, SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk and Metallurg Bratsk were involved in a shockingly low-scoring game in the afternoon matchup on Saturday in Irkutsk. Yevgeny Mavrin, Stanislav Izmagilov, and Anatoly Suzdalev each scored for Khabarovsk, while Marat Yumangulov scored Bratsk's only goal as they went down to defeat 3-1.
Group I
Dynamo Moscow easily swept the field, scoring 39 goals while allowing only 10 in their three matches against Rodina Kirov, Vodnik Arkhangelsk and Mayak Krasnoturinsk.
Dynamo will be joined in the quarterfinals by Rodina, who managed to squeeze out a victory against Vodnik 5-4 despite trailing 4-0 early in the first half. Although they played admirably against Dynamo as well, losing by a respectable 9-4, Vodnik could manage only a 5-5 tie against lowly Mayak, as they shared the bottom of the group with only one point each.
Scores:
Rodina 5, Vodnik 4
Dynamo 21, Mayak 1
Rodina 9, Mayak 3
Dynamo 9, Vodnik 4
Vodnik 5, Mayak 5
Dynamo 9, Rodina 5
Other teams advancing to quarterfinals:
Group II - Zorky Krasnogorsk, Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk
Group III - Kuzbass Kemerovo, Yenisey Krasnoyarsk
Yevgeny Tkachuk managed a hat trick for Sayany, with all three goals coming off the rush.
Usually a highly defensive-minded team, Abakan allowed Baikal's first two goals in the first four minutes of play with goals from Savchenko and Andrei Kovalyov. But only two minutes later, Tkachuk added his first to put Sayany on the board. Alexander Nasonov increased the margin to two in the 35th minute, while Maksim Koshelev added the eventual game winner off a corner to increase Irkutsk's lead to 4-1. But just before the whistle to end the half, Tkachuk added his second of the game to cut the lead.
In the second half, Savchenko scored again off a pass from Koshelev in the 62nd minute, and Maksim Khaldin added another insurance goal for Baikal. Dmitry Kropotkin had a chance to get Sayany back into this one when he was awarded a penalty shot in the 83rd minute, but Baikal goalie Alexei Negrun didn't even have to make a play as the shot sailed wide.
In the final three minutes, Tkachuk capped off his hat trick, and Maksin Gavrilenko rounded out the scoring to give Irkutsk the victory and put them at the top of the tables in Group IV.
In other action, SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk and Metallurg Bratsk were involved in a shockingly low-scoring game in the afternoon matchup on Saturday in Irkutsk. Yevgeny Mavrin, Stanislav Izmagilov, and Anatoly Suzdalev each scored for Khabarovsk, while Marat Yumangulov scored Bratsk's only goal as they went down to defeat 3-1.
Group I
Dynamo Moscow easily swept the field, scoring 39 goals while allowing only 10 in their three matches against Rodina Kirov, Vodnik Arkhangelsk and Mayak Krasnoturinsk.
Dynamo will be joined in the quarterfinals by Rodina, who managed to squeeze out a victory against Vodnik 5-4 despite trailing 4-0 early in the first half. Although they played admirably against Dynamo as well, losing by a respectable 9-4, Vodnik could manage only a 5-5 tie against lowly Mayak, as they shared the bottom of the group with only one point each.
Scores:
Rodina 5, Vodnik 4
Dynamo 21, Mayak 1
Rodina 9, Mayak 3
Dynamo 9, Vodnik 4
Vodnik 5, Mayak 5
Dynamo 9, Rodina 5
Other teams advancing to quarterfinals:
Group II - Zorky Krasnogorsk, Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk
Group III - Kuzbass Kemerovo, Yenisey Krasnoyarsk
Friday, October 06, 2006
Irkutsk Gearing Up For 2nd Leg of Russian Cup
The second leg of the Russian Bandy Cup kicks off October 14th, and Irkutsk, one of the host cities, has begun to prepare the ice.
The tournament will be played at Irkutsk's smaller Rekord stadium, which has a cooling system for the ice surface, unlike Trud Stadium, where Baikal-Energia plays its regular season matches. Organizers were not expecting to put the ice down in Rekord until next week, but a recent cold snap has allowed them to lay down the surface a few days early. This was a boon for Baikal-Energia, who had been practicing in the city of Angarsk, about 60 km to the north.
Irkutsk will be hosting Group IV in the second leg of the Russian Cup. In addition to Baikal-Energia, the group includes SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk, Sayany Abakan and regional rival Metallurg Bratsk.
The second leg is a round robin format, and the top two teams in each of the four groups will advance to the Russian Cup finals, which will be held in Moscow on November 5-8.
Groups:
Group I, Moscow
Dynamo Moscow
Rodina Kirov
Vodnik Arkhangelsk
Mayak Krasnoturinsk
Group II, Krasnogorsk
Zorky Krasnogorsk
Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk
Raketa Kazan
Volga Ulyanovsk
Group III, Krasnoyarsk
Yenisey Krasnoyarsk
Kuzbass Kemerovo
Sibselmash Novosibirsk
SKA-Zabaikalets Chita
Group IV, Irkutsk
Baikal-Energia Irkutsk
SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk
Sayany Abakan
Metallurg Bratsk
The tournament will be played at Irkutsk's smaller Rekord stadium, which has a cooling system for the ice surface, unlike Trud Stadium, where Baikal-Energia plays its regular season matches. Organizers were not expecting to put the ice down in Rekord until next week, but a recent cold snap has allowed them to lay down the surface a few days early. This was a boon for Baikal-Energia, who had been practicing in the city of Angarsk, about 60 km to the north.
Irkutsk will be hosting Group IV in the second leg of the Russian Cup. In addition to Baikal-Energia, the group includes SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk, Sayany Abakan and regional rival Metallurg Bratsk.
The second leg is a round robin format, and the top two teams in each of the four groups will advance to the Russian Cup finals, which will be held in Moscow on November 5-8.
Groups:
Group I, Moscow
Dynamo Moscow
Rodina Kirov
Vodnik Arkhangelsk
Mayak Krasnoturinsk
Group II, Krasnogorsk
Zorky Krasnogorsk
Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk
Raketa Kazan
Volga Ulyanovsk
Group III, Krasnoyarsk
Yenisey Krasnoyarsk
Kuzbass Kemerovo
Sibselmash Novosibirsk
SKA-Zabaikalets Chita
Group IV, Irkutsk
Baikal-Energia Irkutsk
SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk
Sayany Abakan
Metallurg Bratsk
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