Dinamo Minsk overpower Lokomotiv Yaroslavl on home ground

A 3-1 victory by Dinamo Minsk that lost its playoff chances several matches ago complicated things for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl that go in tight competition with Atlant for the knock-out round.

The teams could not create any scoring moments for more than half of the game at Minsk Arena on 29 January. The score was finally opened by the hosts on a power play. Tomas Surovy tipped Alexander Kitarov’s pass in to put Minsk ahead 1-0. Just a minute later Alexander Materukhin extended Dinamo’s lead on another power play. Alexei Kalyuzhny's goal at 5:35 of the final was the game-winner.

The guests were able to pull one back. Sergei Plotnikov denied Minsk goalie Dmitry Milchakov, who blocked 52 shots, a chance to record a shutout with a minute and a half left to play.

With 49 points after 50 games Dinamo Minsk remain the 14th in the West. The Bisons will next face Slovan Bratislava on 26 February, the day the Kontinental Hockey League resumes its championship after the 2014 Olympics in Sochi.