MOSCOW (Interstat) — In a stunning Kontinental Hockey League upset, the Shanghai Dragons defeated Dynamo Moscow 4-1 on Monday at VTB Ice Palace, riding a 34-save performance from goaltender Andrei Tikhomirov to snap a two-game losing streak.

The victory, which came against a Dynamo team that had dominated their recent matchups and was a heavy favorite to win, improved Shanghai’s record to 12-11 across all competitions. Dynamo Moscow fell to 14-9.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 4-2 win for the home side, with its ELO system giving Dynamo a 77 percent probability of victory. The Dragons defied those odds with a complete team effort, capitalizing on their chances and relying on stellar goaltending.

Shanghai set the tone early, opening the scoring just 4:45 into the first period. Nikita A. Popugayev netted his ninth goal of the season, with assists from Ryan Spooner and Will Reilly, giving the visitors a lead they would not relinquish.

The Dragons extended their advantage midway through the period. At the 14:41 mark, Kevin LaBanc scored his fourth goal of the season, with Gage Quinney picking up the primary assist. Despite taking a penalty for delaying the game minutes earlier, Quinney was a key facilitator for Shanghai, finishing the afternoon with two assists.

Shanghai continued its offensive pressure in the second period, adding a critical insurance goal. At 24:26, Nick Merkley found the back of the net for his ninth goal of the campaign, with Borna Rendulic and Quinney, with his second helper of the afternoon, credited with the assists.

The Dragons’ discipline was tested throughout the contest, as they were whistled for four minor penalties. However, their penalty kill, backed by Tikhomirov, was perfect on the afternoon, shutting down all of Dynamo’s power-play opportunities.

Dynamo Moscow finally broke through Tikhomirov with just under 11 minutes remaining in the third period. Defenseman Mario Patalakha scored his first goal of the season, assisted by Anton Slepyshev, to cut the deficit to two goals and provide a late spark for the home team.

Any hope of a Dynamo comeback was extinguished with just 1:49 left in regulation. Nate Sucese sealed the victory for Shanghai by scoring his third goal of the year into an empty net, with Spencer Foo earning the assist.

In goal, the contrast was stark. Shanghai’s Andrei Tikhomirov earned the win, turning aside 34 of the 35 shots he faced. For Dynamo, Vladislav Podyapolsky managed only 10 saves on 13 shots before being pulled, shouldering the loss.

The game was a reversal of recent fortunes between the two clubs. In their last meeting on Oct. 28, Dynamo had handily defeated the Dragons 5-1. Shanghai’s last victory over Dynamo was a 3-2 win on Oct. 14.

Shanghai will look to build on this momentum as they continue a road trip, facing HC Sochi on Saturday. Dynamo Moscow, meanwhile, will aim to rebound when they travel to face Ak Bars Kazan on Thursday.