European Leagues

Ekaterinburg 3 @ Kazan 2 (SO)
Denis Kazionov, Ekaterinburg, 0-0-0, -1, 2 PIM, 3 SOG
Season totals: 36 GP, 4-3-7, -14, 12 PIM

Dmitri Kazionov, Kazan, 0-0-0, E, 0 PIM, 0 SOG
Season totals: 39 GP, 14-4-18, +2, 12 PIM

It was Kazionov brother versus Kazionov brother, as the younger son's team, Ekaterinburg, defeated big brother and Kazan 3-2 in the shootout. Denis played 9:23 in the match while Dmitri got 14:07 of ice time. Kazan got a very late goal from Alexei Morozov with 19 seconds to go in regulation, but failed to talley in the penalty shot session.

Magnitogorsk 2 @ Nizhnekamsk 1
Vasily Koshechkin, Magnitogorsk, DNP
Season totals: 35 GP, 17-15, 5 SO, 2.07 GAA, .923 sv%

Former Lightning draft pick Fedor Fedorov assisted on Tomas Rolinek's third period, game winning goal for Magnitogorsk.

Khabarovsk 4 @ Dynamo Moscow 3 (OT)
Johan Harju, Dynamo Moscow, 0-0-0, -2, 0 PIM, 2 SOG
Season totals: 39 GP, 3-9-12, -9, 28 PIM

Harju played 11:54 in the match and was 50% on draws. Former Blue Jacket and European league journeyman David Ling scored the winner for Khabarovsk and also had a helper in the game.

Yulaev 4 @ Omsk 1
Karri Ramo, Omsk, Loss, 31/35, 4.00 GAA, .886 sv%
Season totals: 30 GP, 16-13, 3 SO, 2.06 GAA, .913 sv%

The pride of Ufa, Salavat Yulaev, blitzed Omsk 4-1 to stay in a tie with Magnitogorsk at 87 points for first in the Eastern Conference. Yulaev got 3 goals past Karri Ramo in the final frame of the game to cement the win.

Kazan 7 @ Khabarovsk 2
Dmitri Kazionov, Kazan, 2-0-2, E, 0 PIM, 3 SOG
Season totals: 38 GP, 14-4-18, +2, 12 PIM

Dmitri scored his 13th and 14th goals of the season in 14:59 of ice time as Kazan bulldozed Khabarovsk 7-2. Khabarovsk currently sits just 2 points ahead of Novokuznetsk in second-to-last place in the Eastern Conference. Kazionov was assisted on both goals by Janne Pesonen, who played for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the AHL last season and got a 7 game cup of coffee with Pittsburgh last year.

Yaroslavl 3 @ Ekaterinburg 1
Denis Kazionov, Ekaterinburg, 0-0-0, -1, 0 PIM, 2 SOG
Season totals: 35 GP, 4-3-7, -13, 10 PIM

The younger Kazionov played 13:31 in today's match, but wasn't able to keep Ekaterinburg from drifting 7 points out of the 8th and final playoff spot in the East today in their 3-1 loss to Tarasov Division leader Yaroslavl. Lokomotiv got a pair of assists from former NHLer Richard Zednik in the win.

Spartak Moscow 1 @ Magnitogorsk 2 (SO)
Vasily Koshechkin, Magnitogorsk, DNP
Season totals: 35 GP, 17-15, 5 SO, 2.07 GAA, .923 sv%

Vasily the Cat got the day off as his backup, Ilya Proskuryakov, stopped 19 of 20 shots and both shooters he faced in the penalty shot session for the victory over Spartak. Ex-Rangers draft pick Jan Marek and ex-Blackhawk and Norfolk Admiral Igor Radulov scored in the shootout for Metallurg.

Omsk 3 @ Cherepovets 1
Karri Ramo, Omsk, Win, 23/24, 1.00 GAA, .958 sv%
Season totals: 29 GP, 16-12, 3 SO, 1.99 GAA, .914 sv%

Ramo got his season GAA back below 2 with a solid 3-1 win over Cherepovets. Former Lightning first rounder Alex Svitov had his 5th goal of the season in the win and added a helper, which was his 12th point of the season.

Kazan 5 @ Novosibirsk 1
Dmitri Kazionov, Kazan, 1-2-3, +2, 0 PIM, 3 SOG
Season totals: 37 GP, 12-4-16, +2, 12 PIM

The elder Kazionov played 13:48 in the match, opening the scoring for Kazan with his 12th goal of the season before tacking on a pair of assists in the third period.

Yaroslavl 3 @ Magnitogorsk 0
Vasily Koshechkin, Magnitogorsk, Loss, 20/23, 3.00 GAA, .870 sv%
Season totals: 35 GP, 17-15, 5 SO, 2.07 GAA, .923 sv%

Magnitogorsk managed just 18 shots on goal in their 3-0 shutout loss to Lokomotiv.

KHK MVD 1 @ Ekaterinburg 0
Denis Kazionov, Ekaterinburg, 0-0-0, E, 0 PIM, 1 SOG
Season totals: 34 GP, 4-3-7, -12, 10 PIM

The younger Kazionov brother played just 9:04 in the match. A first period goal from Yuri Babenko would be the only scoring KHK MVD would get or need thanks to a 25 save shutout by former Thrashers prospect Michael Garnett.

CSKA 2 @ Dynamo Moscow 3 (OT)
Johan Harju, Dynamo Moscow, 0-0-0, -2, 2 PIM, 0 SOG
Season totals: 38 GP, 3-9-12, -7, 28 PIM

Harju's linemate, Linus Omark, assisted on the overtime winner for Dynamo in what was an otherwise miserable night for the prospect and his line. Harju ended up playing just 9:50 in the match and was 79% on draws.

Christmas means hockey in Russia...

Omsk 2 @ St. Petersburg 4
Karri Ramo, Omsk, DNP
Season totals: 28 GP, 15-12, 3 SO, 2.03 GAA, .913 sv%

Ramo got the day off as Omsk squared off with St. Petersburg, which sits in first in the KHL's Western Conference. Former NHL star Alexei Yashin assisted on all 4 goals for SKA.

Dynamo Riga 4 @ Dynamo Moscow 5
Johan Harju, Dynamo Moscow, 0-1-1, -1, 0 PIM, 1 SOG
Season totals: 37 GP, 3-9-12, -5, 26 PIM

Harju assisted on Linus Omark's 17th goal of the season in the second period, and played 16:40 in the match while going 46% on draws. Former Lightning draft pick Vadim Epanchintsev also had a helper in the game for Dynamo Moscow.

Kazan 4 @ Novokuznetsk 0
Dmitri Kazionov, Kazan, 0-0-0, E, 0 PIM, 0 SOG
Season totals: 36 GP, 11-2-13, E, 12 PIM

The older Kazionov was scoreless in Kazan's blanking of Novokuznetsk, playing 12:31 in the match. Kazan was led by a pair of goals from former NHLer Niko Kapanen. For anyone wondering whatever happened to former Lightning first rounder Nikita Alexeev, the big winger has 1 goal and 2 points in 23 games with Kazan, and has averaged just 10:06 in ice time per game. Kazionov, by comparison, has averaged 13:09 per match.

KHK MVD 2 @ Magnitogorsk 0
Vasily Koshechkin, Magnitogorsk, DNP
Season totals: 34 GP, 17-14, 5 SO, 2.04 GAA, .924 sv%

Like Ramo, Koshechkin also got Christmas Day off. Former Chicago Blackhawks first rounder Pavel Vorobiev scored the winning goal for KHK MVD.

Spartak Moscow 3 @ Ekaterinburg 2 (SO)
Denis Kazionov, Ekaterinburg, 0-0-0, E, 0 PIM, 2 SOG
Season totals: 33 GP, 4-3-7, -12, 10 PIM

The younger Kazionov played 11:30 in the loss for Ekaterinburg.