On December 24, 2024, the Chelyabinsk team, Traktor, secured another victory by defeating Barys from Astana with a score of 5-3 during the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) season. This match took place at the Barys Arena, marking Traktor’s continued dominance throughout the season.
The game opened with Traktor swiftly taking charge. It wasn't long before Egor Popov scored the first goal just four minutes and fifty-six seconds after the puck drop, marking his inaugural goal of the season. A minute later, his teammate Vitaly Kravtsov followed suit, skilfully doubling the score for Traktor, much to the dismay of Barys fans present.
Despite their early setbacks, Barys managed to be resilient, but Traktor's offensive pressure proved relentless. Maxim Shabanov added to Traktor's tally at the twenty-minute mark, establishing significant control for the visitors. Barys sought to regain momentum but found themselves at odds against Traktor's solid defense.
During the second period, Semen Der-Arguchintsev scored Traktor's fourth goal on the power play, which seemed to extinguish Barys’ hopes momentarily. The host team's Stasislav Bocharov did manage to score late in the second period, giving Barys its first goal and offering a glimmer of hope to their supporters.
Entering the final period, Traktor displayed their depth once again when Ostap Safin intercepted the ice and scored his first goal for Traktor, putting it up to 5-1. But Barys wasn’t finished yet. Just seconds later, Kirill Savitsky found the net, cutting the deficit to three. The match became increasingly frenetic with Barys trying to claw back; Anton Burdasov, once part of Traktor, scored another goal with just 13 seconds on the clock, but it wasn't enough to change their fate.
This victory marks Traktor's third consecutive win over Barys this season, having previously beaten them 4-1 on September 6 and 3-2 on December 21. With this result, Traktor maintains the top position of the Eastern Conference with 52 points, two points clear of their closest competitor, Salavat Yulaev, who has also shown strong form this season.
Traktor, coached by Benoit Groulx, continues to demonstrate their prowess on the ice, maintaining focus as they prepare for their next matchup against Automobilist, set to occur on December 26. The passionate fanbase hopes this victory will propel forward their momentum as the season continues.
