Two first-period goals were enough for Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk to grab a 2-1 win at Amur Khabarovsk in the KHL on Sunday.
The victory saw Neftekhimik to climb to the seventh place in the Eastern Conference with 28 points after 18 games, while Amur languishes in 11th after a third-consecutive defeat.
The sold-out Platinum Arena in the Siberian city had seen most of the action by the end of the the first period. Amur’s Czech forward Jakub Petruzalek opened the scoring after picking up a perfect assist from ex-Philadelphia Flyers wing Mika Pyorala.
Slovak center Martin Cibak levelled it seven minutes later, sending the puck into the top corner from the crease, before Yaroslav Olshevsky made the score 2-1 with just 50 seconds to go in the first period.
The next two periods were marked by numerous penalties and classy saves from both goaltenders.
Neftekhimik’s stopper Maxim Sokolov made 37 saves, while Alexei Murygin clocked up 28.
The Edmonton Oilers' No. 1 NHL draft pick Nail Yakupov had a quiet game for his lockout team Neftekhimik.
