HC Dinamo Minsk blanked by HC Metallurg Magnitogorsk on home ice

In their first spring game on home ice, the Minsk side hosted HC Metallurg Magnitogorsk, the leaders of the Eastern Conference. The match was dedicated to the upcoming Police Day, with the ceremonial first puck drop made by Belarusian Minister of Internal Affairs Ivan Kubrakov. The opening frame ended 0-2 in favor of the visitors: HC Dinamo Minsk conceded a shorthanded goal in the 13th minute, then Vasily Demchenko was beaten with just one second left on the clock in the period. 

The second period saw the Minsk Bisons outshoot their opponents 15-1, but they couldn’t capitalize on several high-danger chances. Ty Smith’s blast from the point beat the goalie, but the goal was called off after a review due to goaltender interference. In the third, the hosts pressed but couldn’t solve the Magnitogorsk goalkeeper Aleksandr Smolin, and eventually conceded an empty-net goal to seal the 3-0 loss.

Thus, Dmitri Kvartalnov’s team snapped their winning streak at three games and remained without points for the first time in five encounters. The Minsk club has not beaten HC Metallurg Magnitogorsk in the KHL for over three years. With 82 points, Minsk sits second in the Western Conference standings. The Minsk Bisons will play the second and final game of their home series on 5 March against HC SKA Saint Petersburg.