Fireworks In VHL Final

AFTER A DEVASTATING HIT LEFT KIRILL KRUTOV UNCONSCIOUS, NEFTYANIK SOUGHT REVENGE AND A CHAMPIONSHIP SWEEP

– GILLIAN KEMMERER

IN DANGER OF BEING swept in the VHL final, AKM Tula Region entered Game 4 of the Petrov Cup fighting for survival. It was a surprising predicament for a team that placed fourth in the regular season in Russia’s second-highest league, then swiftly disposed of three-time champion Toros Neftekamsk, SKA-Neva and Yugra in five games or fewer. Neftyanik Almetyevsk, meanwhile, finished ninth in the regular season and struggled through tight playoff series versus Kurgan and Tyumen, but found their footing early in the VHL final aided by strong goaltending from Artur Akhtyamov. The emotionality of AKM’s players trumped discipline in the final contest, as the team was whistled for 33 penalty minutes in the first period of Game 4 alone. Defenseman Pavel Medvedev accrued the lion’s share for a violent collision…

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The Hockey News (Digital) - 1 Issue, Champions Issue 2024

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