Pelino’s return gives Metallurg a boost

Metallurg Magnitogorsk 6:4 Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (1-2, 2-2, 3-0)

When Metallurg turned to Mike Pelino, inviting him to return to Magnitogorsk and help Ilya Vorobyov give his struggling team a lift, this was something like what the management had in mind. A rousing third period secured a much-needed victory, captain Sergei Mozyakin was back to his best with a goal and two assists, and a couple of late tallies from Andrei Chibisov completed a fight back from 1-4.

This was an important win. Previously, Magnitka had just two wins in 10 games and there was a sense that the club was lurching into crisis. Pelino’s return may or may not be the long-term answer, but the way the team finished Friday’s game offers hope for better things to come. Admittedly, that hope looked remote midway through the game when Andrei Chivilev made it 4-1 to the visitor. Neftekhimik started well, opening a 2-0 lead in the first period before Mozyakin pulled one back on the power play. In the second, Marat Khairullin scored a power play goal for the visitor before Chivilev opened up a big lead.

But Metallurg did not dwell on its problems. Within a couple of minutes, Taylor Beck and Yegor Yakovlev made it a one-goal game once again and there was everything to play for at the start of the third period.

True, it took some time to finish the job off. The first half of the final frame was an even battle, and time was beginning to run out for the home team. A penalty for Alexander Loginov changed all that: it took just 30 seconds for Andrej Nestrasil to convert the power play and tie the game. Then, in the closing minutes, Chibisov scored twice to give his team the all-important win.

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