ASTANA (Interstat) — Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk scored four times in the second period and withstood a late Barys Astana push to earn a 6-3 Kontinental Hockey League victory Friday at Barys Arena. The game was played at Barys Arena in Astana, Kazakhstan. Attendance was 11,237. Neftekhimik improved to 6 wins and 3 losses, while Barys fell to 5 wins and 3 losses.

Damir Zhafyarov led Neftekhimik with one goal and one assist, delivering the game’s first strike at 6:08 of the opening period. Andrei Belozyorov and Ivan Nikolishin assisted on the play. Zhafyarov also helped set up German Tochilkin in the second period. The 5-foot-8, 168-pound forward finished with three shots on goal and was the top star for Neftekhimik. Zhafyarov’s recent form included a two-goal, one-assist game against Lada Togliatti.

The first period featured little else in the way of scoring but plenty of penalties. Barys’s Ian McCoshen was called for tripping at 8:43, and Neftekhimik’s Artur Tyanulin went off for hooking at 12:19. The teams traded offsetting minors at 13:31, with Justin Bailey of Barys getting cross-checking and Timur Khairullin of Neftekhimik receiving embellishment. At 15:05, Barys’s Ansar Shaikhmeddenov was whistled for roughing and Tyanulin received slashing. Bailey added a tripping minor at 18:29. Neftekhimik carried a 1-0 lead into the first intermission. Neftekhimik’s penalty kill handled the early special-teams action without allowing a goal.

The game turned in the middle frame. Grigory Seleznyov scored at 23:55 from Matvei Nadvorny and Sevastyan Sokolov. Tochilkin made it 3-0 at 25:06 with assists from Zhafyarov and Nikolishin. Alexander Petunin added another at 28:19 from Vladislav Yeryomenko and Rafael Bikmullin. Sokolov capped the burst at 38:22, converting feeds from Bikmullin and Khairullin. Sokolov ended with one goal, one assist and two shots, while Bikmullin recorded three assists and two shots. Nikolishin had two assists, Seleznyov had one goal and four shots, and Tochilkin had one goal and two shots. Barys’s Arkady Shestakov was called for high sticking at 26:06, Neftekhimik’s Sergei Artemyev received a high-sticking minor at 37:04, and Nikita Khlystov was sent off for hooking at 39:14. Neftekhimik led 5-0 after two periods. The four-goal period put Neftekhimik in full control.

Barys answered in the third. Garrett Pilon scored at 41:10 from Chase Priskie and Tyce Thompson. Semyon Simonov cut the deficit further at 45:12 with assists from Vsevolod Logvin and Asanali Sarkenov. Tyanulin responded for Neftekhimik at 46:39 from Khlystov and Bikmullin, restoring a four-goal cushion. Alikhan Omirbekov scored for Barys at 50:42 from Damir Britikov and Dinmukhamed Kaiyrzhan, but the home side could not draw closer. Logvin finished with one assist and two shots, Simonov had one goal and two shots, and Tyanulin had one goal, three shots and four penalty minutes. Barys outscored Neftekhimik in the third but could not erase the early deficit.

Neftekhimik goaltender Yaroslav Ozolin stopped 25 of 28 shots to earn the win. The 6-foot, 172-pound netminder was steady as Barys pressed in the final period. Ozolin’s 25 saves helped Neftekhimik hold on after its early offensive explosion. Barys finished with 28 shots on goal. The teams combined for 10 minor penalties, including several in a chippy first period and a few more in the second.

Neftekhimik’s victory came after a strong recent run that included a 7-3 home win over Lada Togliatti. Barys had won two of its previous three games before Friday. The win moved Neftekhimik to 6-3 this season, while Barys slipped to 5-3. Neftekhimik will next visit Admiral Vladivostok. Barys will host SKA Saint Petersburg. Neftekhimik’s upcoming road trip begins against Admiral Vladivostok.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Neftekhimik 3, Barys 2. Interstat’s ELO system gave Neftekhimik a 60.2 percent probability to win.