Slava Kozlov (Dynamo) and Nikita Pivtsakin (Avangard) go at each other during regular season Avangard – Dynamo game (Photo credit: OldWest.su)

The History

These two teams have met 66 times. Dynamo has won 35 of those match-ups, Avangard 23, with eight tie games. The teams have squared off in the playoffs five times– with Dynamo winning in 1995, 2005 and 2008, and Avangard winning in 2003 and 2004. But they have never played each other in the finals. Until now.

The most famous series between the two was the 2004-05 semifinals. After getting eliminated by the Omsk Hawks two straight times, Dynamo (featuring Pavel Datsyuk, Alex Ovechkin and Andrei Markov) tried to stop Avangard (with Jaromir Jagr, Oleg Tverdovsky and one of the greatest lines in modern Russian hockey history: Maxim Sushinsky, Dmitry Zatonsky and Alexander Prokopiev).

The defending champions from Avangard won game one of the best-of-five series in the shootout (yes, shootouts in playoffs). In the second game they were crushed, 11-0. That game featured Alex Ovechkin’s first fight as a pro. During a line brawl, then-young Ovi dropped the gloves against Oleg Tverdovsky.

Ovechkin and Dynamo celebrate their championship in 2004-05. (Photo credit: thirdstringgoalie.blogspot.com)

Games Three was the key, decided by one of the most mysterious moments in Russian hockey. In the middle of the third period of a scoreless game, a shot by Dynamo’s Igor Mirnov went off one post, off another, and out. Referee Rafael Kadyrov pointed to the center ice but went to see the replays. It took him more than eight minutes to watch the goal from all the angles he wanted but he didn’t see any evidence that the puck did not cross the goal line, and therefore it was considered a good goal. The general consensus was that laws of physics couldn’t allow the puck to go in after hitting the first post and before hitting the other, but Kadyrov called it a goal. Dynamo won 1-0. They also won Game Four, 3-1 and moved on to win it all sweeping Alexander Semin (Semin vs Ovechkin!) and Lada Togliatti.

The Stars

These teams feature two of the best players not currently in the NHL.

Hard-nosed speedy winger Leo Komarov from Finland would fit well in the NHL with his style of play. A fearless agitator, Komarov is really fun to watch. He skates full circles after hitting the ice before every period of play, including in front and behind the opposing net. One of the funniest hockey scenes I’ve ever witnessed was when Leo tucked in his jersey — right in the goal crease — after the whistle. It drove the defensemen off, but that was exactly what he wanted. Komarov’s rights are currently held by the Maple Leafs, and it has been reported that they will make another attempt to lure Leo to the NHL.

Unlike Komarov, Roman Cervenka is more of a finesse player. Defensively sound, big shooter, smooth skater; it’s difficult to find a weakness in Cervenka’s game. He provides offense consistently thanks to a high hockey IQ. Cervenka could be the KHL’s biggest star since Radulov’s departure. He is versatile, playing either center or left wing. He has said that he wants to move to the NHL this summer after having a couple of great seasons in Russia. The biggest problem is that he speaks only Czech. But as long as the team he plays has a couple of Czech-speaking players who can translate for him, that shouldn’t be a big issue. The 26-year-old Cervenka is an undrafted free agent.

Kuznetsov is stopped on a breakaway at 1:55. His two shootout goals can be seen at 3:45.

Taking a tenuous 2-0 lead into the third period, Traktor Cheylabinsk unraveled in the final minutes against host Avangard Omsk on Sunday. First, 4:31 into the final frame, the KHL’s leading goal-scorer, Roman Cervenka, scored on a cross-crease pass to bring Avangard within one. Then ten minutes later, Omsk’s Yegor Averin scored on a broken play in front of Traktor’s net to force overtime.

With neither team able to rally in the extra session, the game went to a shootout. And that’s when Caps prospect Evgeny Kuznetsov did his thing. The 19-year-old right wing, who’s clutch play this season has given him the KHL lead in game-winning goals (five), scored not once, but twice. How is that possible you ask? In Russia, after the first three rounds of a shootout, if there is a tie, you are allowed to send out the same shooters again.

Kuznetsov scored in the sudden death round (using the same exact move he did the first time – what stones he has!) while Cervenka was stopped. With the victory, Traktor now owns the best record in the league and leads the Eastern Conference’s second-place team Amur by 12 standings points.

Notes: With first-line center (and former Capital) Jan Bulis out with injury, Kuznetsov has been playing center instead of his customary right wing. This was Evgeny’s second game-winning shootout goal of the year. His other came in Traktor’s 4-3 win over Neftekhimik on September 21st.

Additional reporting by Fedor Fedin.

Evgeny Kuznetsov speeds down the middle during Traktor’s game against Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk (Photo credit: Vitaly Gubin, Traktor PR Service)

Caps prospect Evgeny Kuznetsov, currently sitting in the top 15 in both goals and points (12g, 12a), was named a KHL All-Star for the second time on Monday. Unlike last season, Kuznetsov was overwhelmingly voted in as a starter this year by fans and will represent “Team Fedorov” of the Eastern conference. The 19-year-old Traktor Chelyabinsk forward finished second overall in total votes (33,800), trailing only Mikelis Redlihs of the Western Conference’s “Team Ozolins.”

To put Kuznetsov’s immense popularity in perspective, consider that he garnered more votes than reigning MVP Alexander Radulov, Roman Cervenka (the KHL’s leading scorer), Vladimir Tarasenko, and Russian National Team Captain Alexei Morozov.

Recently, Sovetsky Sport’s Pavel Lysenkov did a lengthy feature story on Kuznetsov, who some have called the new face of the KHL. Like most interviews with Russian players, the story starts off with questions about Vityaz Chekhov, who was recently beaten by Traktor on the scoreboard and tried to beat them back with their fists.

Most importantly to Caps fans, Kuznetsov discussed his possible NHL future, his contract situation, and who he idolized as a kid. Below the jump, I have the translation.

Evgeny Kuznetov: It’s difficult for Vityaz and Coach Nazarov to prove themselves anymore. What’s left for their enforcers? They need to fight somebody. I think every club in the KHL should have a tough guy. Let them fight each other. That’s useful. You get a “policeman” on the ice and everyone sees they shouldn’t touch the other players.

Pavel Lysenkov: Have you seen what Gimaev said to Sovetsky Sport? “[Russia] has to keep Kuznetsov until the Olympics”.

Evgeny Kuznetov: Right now my agent is negotiating with Washington. I am going to meet the team representatives when I am at the World Junior Championships in Calgary. I have no idea what kind of offer I am going to get. For now I am not going anywhere. I still have another half season to go on my contract with Traktor.

Pavel Lysenkov: National Team head Coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov also said you should not go.

Evgeny Kuznetov: I would stay in the KHL for 15 years! But in Russia they’re not used to giving out such long contracts. Who would pay a young player the money Ovechkin is getting in Washington? If I were offered a KHL contract like the one Ovechkin has, I’d sign it without a doubt! And I would play for Traktor until the end of my career. Wherever you get paid is a good place to be. That’s our job. But I have a dream to test myself in the NHL.

Pavel Lysenkov: Do you watch games of that league?

Evgeny Kuznetov: Yes, of course. It’s impressive that they squeeze so much out of half-chances. Mediocre players grind it out and score goals just on their character. In the NHL you’ve got to do everything very fast. In the KHL, the game is more finesse.

Pavel Lysenkov: What did Alex Ovechkin say when he hung out with you at your wedding party?

Evgeny Kuznetov: “Don’t worry. Come to the NHL and everything will be okay.” I went to Caps’ Development Camp after the draft last year. I went into the locker room and walked around for a week with my jaw on the floor.

Pavel Lysenkov: Why?

Evgeny Kuznetov: I came without a uniform. A man measured me with just a look. Then I returned from the hotel and the uniform of my size was already hanging there! After the training session, I started hanging it up. The equipment guy waved and said, “Throw it down! I’ll pick it up myself!” There’s professionalism everywhere. All you have to concentrate on is playing hockey.

Pavel Lysenkov: Is the KHL different?

Evgeny Kuznetov: In Traktor, they also help us handle our luggage. But in America you don’t even see these people [handling equipment]. You can go to Vegas with your wife. Or catch some sun rays in Miami. And return in time for the game. I know, many guys do that. But here – there is some lack of trust in the players. You must be with the team the day before a game.

Pavel Lysenkov: You know North America well.

Evgeny Kuznetov: So far, I’ve been there like 10 times. I played in Canada. I lived in New York. The first time I flew there I was 14. I just got my international passport! My mom put me on a plane, and my uncle godfather picked me up in New York. I played for a local team with a Russian coach. I walked around Manhattan. Bought souvenirs. I went to McDonald’s, and ordered by myself. Then I put 25 cents in a public phone, called my uncle and told him where I was standing and he picked me up. The weather was a bit of a let down. It was raining for the first three weeks. I wanted to swim in the ocean. My godfather said, “Let’s go to the beach”. All the Americans were hiding under their umbrellas. I ran right into the waves. They were thinking there goes some crazy Russian kid. But then some followed me. The water turned out to be pretty warm.

Pavel Lysenkov: Who do you like among hockey players?

Evgeny Kuznetov: I follow a lot of players. What they do during the game, how they hold their stick for a faceoff. You try to pick up few tricks. Malkin and Datsyuk of course are top class.

Pavel Lysenkov: Have you met them?

Evgeny Kuznetov: No. Alexander Semin played in Chelyabinsk at one point. But he probably doesn’t remember me. I was little, about eight years old. They lived at the boarding school for the kids from out of town. I was spending all my time at the stadium. Went right by the school and to the rink.

Pavel Lysenkov: Did you ask for Semin’s stick?

Evgeny Kuznetov: I asked other guys from Traktor’s squad for their sticks. Nobody gave me one. I became their teammate in like eight years.

Pavel Lysenkov: When you were 12, Canadians made a movie about you. How did they know you’d be a famous player?!

Evgeny Kuznetov: Canadians sent a letter beforehand saying they need Kuznetsov. I played in Omsk then. It was shot in about two weeks. The entire movie is three hours long and it’s about hockey in Siberia. One and a half of that is about me. They were interested about everything: how do we make pelmeni; how the kids are playing hockey. We were walking for 30 minutes in -22 degrees Fahrenheit from the camp to the rink, while the Canadians were running behind us with a camera. They first noticed me when I was nine in a tournament. We played in Mahnitogorsk. The whole “Romazan” [Ed. Note - Former Metallurg arena] was watching. The locals were invincible, but we smashed them 12-2 in the final. We were given a cup like a table lamp. The Magnitogorsk guys were give a trophy that looked like a Stanley Cup, along with uniforms, shoes, and sticks. They gave me 600 rubles for being the top scorer. And a medal. I scored like 20 goals then. Nobody else was even close! I was so disappointed that I wanted to cry.

Pavel Lysenkov: What were you dreaming about when you were 12?

Evgeny Kuznetov: I wanted to be Jaromir Jagr [Ed. note: Sigh].

Pavel Lysenkov: Wow!

Evgeny Kuznetov: When Jaromir came to Avangard in 2004, all of Omsk was crazy about him. First, we thought at the training, “Who is that clumsy guy skating?” But then he went out on the ice for the game. And everybody just gasped. I couldn’t get an autograph then. I have photo from that year. I took a picture of him with my cellphone camera from up close. I printed that out then. It’s now hanging on the wall in my house.

Pavel Lysenkov: So you never met him?

Evgeny Kuznetov: Why? During the previous KHL All-Star Game, I said hello to him. I stood near him. I was quiet. I saw Jagr smiling when I scored on the breakaway. “Great job,” he said.

Pavel Lysenkov: You played on the line with Sergei Fedorov.

Evgeny Kuznetov: When he went to Detroit in 1991 I wasn’t even born yet. When I look at guys like him I see how i need to work. I read Sovetsky Sport when Fedorov gave me three pieces of advice. One of them – only go to the NHL as a mature player and don’t get lost on a farm team. If you’re not ready, you better stay. Achieve something in Russia, it will be easier for you then. When Ovechkin went to NHL, he was big like a wardrobe [Ed. Note: Not to be confused with the one and only Wardrobe in the history of hockey]. You couldn’t push him out. Malkin achieved everything in Magnitogorsk. Kovalchuk showed himself playing for Spartak.

Part two of the interview.

Additional reporting by Ian Oland.

Kuznetsov’s goal against Neftekhimik comes at the 1:00 mark — his assist immediately thereafter. He also has a breakaway attempt at 2:05.

In a Kharlamov Division match-up Monday, the KHL’s Traktor Chelyabinsk destroyed Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (how do you even say that?) 8-2, their biggest win of the season. The Petrochemists, whose defense might as well have been staffed by actual scientists, had no answer for Caps prospect Evgeny Kuznetsov. Kuzya scored his tenth goal of the season — the game’s deciding tally — on a beautiful wraparound to put Traktor up 3-0 in the first period. Also, he fancily went behind the back to assist on Andrei Popov’s goal from the slot.

That was Kuznetsov’s third straight two-point performance. He also has four goals and four assists in his last five games against Neftekhimik. The 19-year-old Russian also continues to lead the league in game-winning goals (five) and is tied for third place in overall goals (ten), which is three less than leader Roman Cervenka.

Wednesday, Kuznetsov did not register a point as Traktor beat powerhouse Ak Bars Kazan 3-2. With the win, the White Bears now sit first in the KHL’s Eastern Conference, and are tied for most standings points in the league.

Additional reporting by Ian Oland.

Capitals prospect Evgeny Kuznetsov scored his ninth goal of the season and nabbed a pretty assist in Traktor’s 3-2 win today over Vladimir Tarasenko and Sibir Novosibirsk.

Before the game, all eyes were on 19-year-old superstars Kuznetsov and Tarasenko, who played together on last year’s gold medal winning World Junior Championship team. Considered two of Russia’s finest young talents, they both played on Russia’s National Team already, were drafted in the first round of the 2010 NHL entry draft, and are among the KHL’s league leaders in goals.

Andrey Osadchenko, whom you may know in North America for the vlog he does with Steve Dangle called Joining the Rush, wrote a piece on Allhockey.ru about the meaning of today’s game.

Despite the fact that they have already played on different club teams, we’re used to thinking of them as of a single unit, the personification of Russia’s hockey future. Not the immediate future – a distant future. It has been made clear they’ll be great players, but when? Knock-knock, wake up citizens – the future is now!

[...]

Of course, Tarasenko and Kuznetsov won’t play each other for the first time, they’re not rookies in the KHL. But today they’ll hit the ice not as “young and promising”, not as “our bright tomorrow”. Today, they are the stars of the show.

Video of Kuznetsov’s goal and assist. At the end, Evgeny is also shown embracing Vladimir Tarasenko after the game with fellow 2011 WJC teammember Anton Burdasov.

Today Kuznetsov’s star shone brighter than Tarasenko’s. With eight minutes to go in the third and the game tied 1-1, Kuzya patiently held onto the puck and found defenseman Deron Quint for an easy powerplay goal. If you look closely at the video, you’ll notice Kuznetsov curls and drags the puck for several seconds– freezing both the penalty killers and the goalie– before setting up Quint for a lay-up. Unbelievable!

This goal, however, wasn’t enough as Sibir tied the game at two with less than three minutes to go. Kuznetsov needed only 13 seconds to take the lead back for Traktor as he was hooked down to the ice on a breakaway and awarded a penalty shot. Kuzya easily scored and Traktor went on to win 3-2.

His ninth goal of the year today puts Kuznetsov only one tally behind Roman Cervenka in the KHL scorers race and ties him ironically enough with Tarasenko for second place. Also, the goal was his fourth game-winner of the season and gave him the lead in this category.

One final interesting note, this was Kuznetsov’s first game of the year in which he played more than 18 minutes and scored (he played 19:25 tonight). Earlier, all eight of his markers came in games where he played less than that.

A few days ago, both Tarasenko and Kuznetsov were named to the Russian National extended roster team for the Karjala Cup, one of four tournaments in the EuroHockeyTour which features the Russian, Czech, Finnish, and Swedish National teams.

Finally, if you visit the KHL’s website, you’ll notice a banner in which they are promoting Traktor and Amur Khabarovsk’s game on Thursday (8AM EST). Featured on it? None other than Kuznetsov and Amur’s Jakub Petruzalek.

Additional reporting by Ian Oland.

Traktor Chelyabinsk’s four-game road trip came to an end today. Over seven days the team traveled from Chelyabinsk to Kazan (two time zones away), Moscow, Mytyschi (which is basically also Moscow), and Riga (three time zones away). After accumulating nine out of twelve standings points and  more than 3,200 miles during the trip, the White Bears now return home for a five-day break from KHL action.

Caps prospect Evgeny Kuznetsov ended a three-game pointless drought today, scoring a late third period goal against Dinamo Riga.

It took a lot of effort and a little bit of luck. As Riga trailed 2-1 late in the game, they pulled their goalie, and the talented Russian winger had what looked to be an easy empty-net goal. Instead, a Riga defender hooked him from behind, sending Kuzya’s shot off the post.

On the ensuing five-on-four powerplay, Traktor got an odd-man break. Kuznetsov and a teammate looked to score again, this time on a two-on-one. Instead, the cross-ice pass was intercepted by former NHL All-Star Sandis Ozolins, and Riga’s net was knocked off its moorings. Because the net displacement was ruled intentional, Traktor got the two-man advantage. Finally, Kuznetsov broke through, rifling a one-timer home on the powerplay.

Kuznetsov’s goal comes at 2:05.

Evgeny’s goal– his eighth of the season– ties him for second place in the KHL. The only player with more is Blues’ prospect Vladimir Tarasenko, who has nine. Two other players have eight: Roman Cervenka and Panthers’ prospect Sergey Shirokov.

Traktor will play their next game at home on Sunday as they face their old rivals, Metallurg Magnitogorsk. With a 3-1 win tonight, Traktor is now back on top of the KHL’s Eastern conference.

Additional reporting by Ian Oland.

Photo credit: Elena Rusko

After being eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs by the Tampa Bay Lightning, Alex Ovechkin joined Team Russia with hopes of a different outcome at the 2011 World Championships in Slovakia. Once again, however, Ovi will began with summer vacation without a championship as Russia fell, 7-4, to the Czech Republic in the Bronze Medal Game. This ends an awful tournament for the Great Eight. After being held scoreless yet again — while registering four shots and being a minus-one — he ends the Worlds with zero points in six games.

Later in the day, Finland, the team that defeated Russia in the semi-finals, bested Sweden by a score of 6-1 to win its second ever World Championship.

As for Russia’s match, it was a wild one. The 11 total goals mark an all-time IIHF high for a third place game. Czech player Roman Cervenka — who plays for a Russian club team, Avangard Omsk of the KHL — netted a hat-trick, while teammate Petr Prucha — also of aRussian KHL team, in this case SKA Saint Petersburg — tallied two goals. On the other end, Devils’ star Ilya Kovalchuk was Russia’s main source of offense in the loss, registering two goals. Russian goalie Konstantin Barulin — who was drafted by the Blues in 2003 but opted to stay in homeland — took the brunt of the Czech offensive explosion, giving up six goals before the seventh was scored on an empty net.

Now, Ovechkin’s offseason starts. He stated that he plans to revamp his summer training regimen after beginning the regular season in admittedly less than top form. “I’m at a time where I want to be better and better, ” Ovi said the day after being bounced from the playoffs. “So, I don’t want to stop finding the right way to be better. … It’s going to be new for me because I don’t want to stop. I want to keep growing up like a player, like a person too.”

We, however, eagerly await more photos of him in a Speedo.

Game Photos

Photo credit: Matthew Manor

Photo credit: Matthew Manor

Photo credit: Matthew Manor

Photo credit: Matthew Manor

Photo credit: Matthew Manor

Photo credit: David W. Cerny

Photo credit: Jukka Rautio

Photo credit: Matthew Manor

Photo credit: Jukka Rautio

Photo credit: Jukka Rautio

Photo credit: Jukka Rautio

Photo credit: Matthew Manor

Photo credit: Jukka Rautio

Photo credit: Matthew Manor

Photo credit: Elena Rusko

Photo credit: Elena Rusko

Photo credit: Matthew Manor

Photo credit: Matthew Manor

RolinekFace strikes again.  (Photo credit: Jukka Rautio)

Photo credit: Jukka Rautio

Photo credit: Matthew Manor