The state of affairs of Nizhnekamsk “Neftekhimik” in the KHL is now difficult to envy. The Wolves remain the only team in the league that has yet to experience the joy of winning the current regular season. The club suffered seven defeats in a row, so the recent away game with Sibir was of the utmost importance for the team and its coaching staff.

Any, even a dubious chance to fight for the victory could become a lifeline for the club from Tatarstan … But the Wolves hockey player Poryadin did not succumb to the temptation at the defining moment of the match and refused to feign an injury in order to get sent off.

An unexpectedly noble act.

“I did everything right. I supported him”

The match with Sibir began very well for Neftekhimik players. Hope for a positive outcome of the meeting was given to the team by Anthony Camara’s puck, which flew into the gates of the “snowmen” in the middle of the starting segment.

But one goal is a small advantage by hockey standards. In such a difficult situation for Neftekhimik, any opportunity to strengthen its position was important. But Paul was guided by other principles.

Seven minutes before the first break, Sibir player Trevor Murphy could have landed on the penalty box. Near the board between the Canadian and the Russian was a stubborn struggle for the puck. Both hockey players tried to take possession of her with a stick, there was practically no physical contact between them.

Photo: © HC Siberia

But in this episode Poryadin failed to keep his balance and fell on the ice. The arbitrators immediately stopped the game, seeing a violation of the rules: the most productive defender of the Siberians could receive a two-minute suspension.

Many in Pavel’s place would have simply kept silent in this episode, allowing the judges to write out the majority to the Nizhnekamsk team. But the striker acted like a real gentleman. After the hockey player got up, he drove up to Murphy and admitted that he fell on his own initiative. Then the player also informed the judges that there was no foul in this episode. The referee listened to the player and the teams continued to play at full strength.

Poryadin’s act causes only respect, but this did not help his team break the series of failures. Despite a two-goal lead gained in the first period, Neftekhimik failed to maintain the winning result, losing 2-3. Unsuccessful for the “wolves” was the third segment of the match, in which they missed three times.

Although the team suffered another defeat, the head coach of Nizhnekamsk Oleg Leontiev praised the striker for a worthy deed in the episode with Murphy.

– Of course, Pasha behaved very decently. I commended him for this. That’s the way you have to behave, you have to be a gentleman. I do not think that he somehow influenced the course of the match. We must remain human in any situation. Did everything right. I supported him,” said the specialist during the post-match press conference.