Dinamo Minsk end road trip with OT win

Dinamo Minsk found their winning ways just as their road trip was about to end.

Andrei Stas had a goal and an assist and Dmitry Milchakov stopped 32 shots to lead Dinamo Minsk to a 2-1 OT win over Barys Astana at Kazakhstan Sports Palace on 20 January.

The hosts blew the game open with a powerplay goal at 2:49 of the first period. Dmitry Milchakov, who replaced Kevin Lalande and Yan Shelepnyov being in action in the previous 2-7 loss to Avangard Omsk, had no answer to one of Barys best forwards Brandon Bochenski but stayed impeccable the rest of the game.

Andrei Stas tied the game up with 12 minutes left to play in regulation. The hosts had plenty of chances to take the lead but Dmitry Milchakov and Minsk defense did a superb job to keep them away.

The 1-1 tie required an extra period in which Lukas Krajicek, assisted by Dinamo captain Alexei Kalyuzhny and Andrei Stas, brought the victory for the Belarusian team.

Dinamo Minsk finished with two wins during their six-game road trip. Lubomir Pokovic’s men return home to face Severstal Cherepovets on Thursday, 23 January.

With 44 points after 46 games the Belarusian club remains at the bottom in the West. The Bisons have already lost their chance to make the playoffs, going 25 points behind the playoff zone. If they win all the last eight games in regulation they will score only 24 points. The season is almost over for two more teams from the Eastern Conference: Amur Khabarovsk and Metallurg Novokuznetsk.