Spartak failed at the start of the quarterfinal series of the KHL playoffs, losing two away games to Metallurg. But already in Moscow, Alexey Zhamnov’s team changed and evened the score in the confrontation. It seemed that the “red-whites” made the opponents nervous. This was especially evident at the press conference of Magnitogorsk head coach Andrei Razin following the results of the second match in Megasport. Razin said that the decision to postpone the game was to the detriment of Metallurg.

However, the fifth match showed that Magnitogorsk’s nerves were all right. Magnitogorsk beat Spartak and is one step away from advancing to the next round.

The “red-whites” woke up only in the third period and now risk going on vacation in front of their home stands.

The most productive match of the series

Spartak did not score at the Metallurg Arena for 120 minutes, and Muscovites goalkeeper Dmitry Nikolaev did not miss for 78 minutes. Whose episode will end faster? The special team of the majority of the “red-whites” could answer this question already at the beginning of the first period. However, Zhamnov’s team, which in the playoffs realized only one power play in 28 attempts, burned through its numerical advantage this time. Metallurg did not even allow the guests to shoot on goal.

Then, after all, Nikolaev was the first to break the dry streak. In the eighth minute, Magnitogorsk forward Danila Yurov burst into the zone and shot from under the defender into the far corner – 1:0. Surprisingly, Spartak swam after the first goal they conceded.

A few shifts later, the red-white defense helplessly watched Metallurg’s second goal. Roman Kantserov used deceptive movements to put Mikhail Maltsev and Roman Rukavishnikov on the ice, and then passed the ball to Denis Zernov, who closed the far post.

Zernov was awakened by Spartak, but the red-white defense could do nothing with Metallurg’s inspired successful start to the match. And it seemed like Yegor Filin was doing everything right, blocking Yurov’s stick, but after Alexander Petunin’s pass, the puck hit Danila’s skate and bounced into the goal – 3:0.

Danila Yurov, Nikita Mikhailis and Alexander Petunin / Photo: © KHL / Kuzmin Yuri

Nikolaev could help out, perhaps, only in the episode with the first goal. In other situations, the partners did not provide protection. However, Zhamnov called the keeper to the bench and released Andrei Kareev.

In the second period, the teams decided to help each other improve their power play percentage, earning 14 penalty minutes between them. True, only Magnitka succeeded. At first, the hosts played in the 4 vs 3 format, but they managed to convert the majority when there were already four “red-whites”. Robin Press passed the ball to Daniil Vovchenko, who hit Kareev’s goal with a one-touch throw.

At the end of the period, Spartak again remained in the minority. However, this time the removal benefited the guests. Maltsev ran into a counterattack and reduced the gap to three goals. The Muscovites’ streak without goals at the Metallurg Arena lasted 158 minutes!

Mikhail Maltsev / Photo: © KHL / Kuzmin Yuri

It is not known what Zhamnov said during the break, but in the third period Spartak was transformed. The “red and whites” ran to prove that they can take a punch. In less than three minutes, the guests won back two goals, while the Muscovites converted the majority twice. Rubtsov scored first, and then Pavel Poryadin.

The comeback attempt was interrupted by the removal of Maxim Tsyplakov, who simply knocked down Metallurg goalkeeper Ilya Nabokov. And in the 55th minute, Egor Korobkin converted the majority – 5:3. It seemed that Magnitogorsk had removed the question of the winner, but Spartak did not think so. For the remaining time, the guests tried to send the game into overtime, but all attempts were smashed by Nabokov’s pads.

As a result, Metallurg won the most productive match of the series and took the lead with a score of 3-2. The confrontation returns to Moscow.

Watch live broadcasts of Fonbet KHL Championship matches on the Match TV channel, as well as on the websites matchtv.ru and sportbox.ru.