Double Olympic champion Boris Mikhailov told that Chelyabinsk “Tractor” is in dire straits due to goalie injury Zaka Fucale however the team can win the series against “Lokomotiv” due to defensive play.
Fucale was not included in Traktor’s lineup for the second game of the Fonbet KHL Championship semifinal playoff series with Yaroslavl Lokomotiv. The match will take place on Thursday in Yaroslavl and will start at 7:30 p.m. (Moscow time). The place in goal will be occupied by 24-year-old Sergei Mylnikov.
On Tuesday, Traktor lost the first match of the Gagarin Cup semi-final against Lokomotiv (2:5). In the 35th minute, when the score was 2:1 in favor of the hosts, Fucale collided with the opposing striker Maxim Shalunov and was replaced due to injury by Mylnikov.
– “Traktor” is in a desperate situation, now they have a main goalkeeper – Mylnikov. Fucale is a huge loss for the residents of Chelyabinsk. But if they can play solid defense, the series could last a very long time.
—After a certain time, do you think Chalunov entered Fucale on purpose?
– No, not on purpose. Knowing Shalunov, I can say that he is not that type of player. “He cannot intentionally hurt a player from another club,” Mikhailov told .
In the current playoffs, Fucale has played in 11 games, won eight times and saved 93.3% of shots. His replacement, 24-year-old Mylnikov, made his Gagarin Cup debut in the series opener with Yaroslavl, stopping 14 shots and conceding three goals (82.4%).
Watch the live broadcast of the Lokomotiv – Traktor match on KHL and KHL Prime channels.
Source : MatchTV
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