YEKATERINBURG (Interstat) — Evgeny Alikin stopped 20 of 21 shots, and Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg scored twice in the first period before holding off Lada Togliatti for a 3-1 Kontinental Hockey League victory on Wednesday at KRK Uralets in Uralets Arena. A crowd of 8,767 watched Avtomobilist improve to 4-6 this season, while Lada dropped to 1-10. The home team never trailed after Jesse Blacker opened the scoring early in the first period. Alikin was named the game’s top star for Avtomobilist.

Blacker gave Avtomobilist a 1-0 lead at 1:46 of the opening period. Maxim Tarasov doubled the advantage at 11:57, with assists from Maxim Denezhkin and Artyom Kashtanov. Lada had an earlier power-play chance, but Maxim Belousov was called for tripping at 5:42. Avtomobilist carried a two-goal lead into the first intermission, and Alikin was steady in net throughout the opening 20 minutes. The game included two minor penalties, both lasting two minutes.

The second period included a holding penalty against Avtomobilist defenseman Nikita Tryamkin at 24:10. Lada could not convert on the power play, and Avtomobilist maintained its 2-0 lead. Alikin continued to turn away Lada attempts, finishing the game with 20 saves on 21 shots. Tryamkin’s holding call was the second minor of the game.

Lada broke through when Dmitry Kugryshev scored at 48:58, with assists from Evgeny Groshev and Riley Sawchuk, cutting the deficit to 2-1. The goal gave Lada renewed hope, but Avtomobilist sealed the win when Yaroslav Busygin scored at 58:04. Alexander Sharov assisted on the final goal, which restored Avtomobilist’s two-goal cushion at 3-1. Busygin’s goal came late in regulation.

Busygin, a 6-foot-2, 172-pound defenseman, finished with one goal and three shots on goal. Kugryshev, a 5-foot-11, 192-pound forward, led Lada with one goal and five shots on goal. Blacker, a 6-foot, 190-pound defenseman, had one goal and one shot on goal. Tarasov, a 6-foot, 157-pound forward, added one goal, one shot on goal and one hit. Sawchuk contributed one assist, three shots on goal and one hit for Lada. Sharov recorded one assist and four shots on goal. Kashtanov had one assist and one shot on goal. Denezhkin added one assist and three shots on goal. Groshev had one assist, one shot on goal and two hits for Lada.

Alikin entered the game after making 34 saves on 36 shots in a win at Spartak Moscow, 16 saves on 19 shots in a loss at Severstal Cherepovets, 18 saves on 21 shots in a loss at Shanghai Dragons, and 10 saves on 11 shots in a loss at Dinamo Minsk. His 20-save effort against Lada helped Avtomobilist secure the home victory.

Avtomobilist’s victory came after a recent stretch of mixed results. The club had won at Spartak Moscow and at Sibir Novosibirsk, and it had beaten Dynamo Moscow at home. It had lost at Severstal Cherepovets, Shanghai Dragons, Dinamo Minsk, Avangard Omsk and Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk, and it had an overtime loss at home to Traktor Chelyabinsk. Lada entered after a loss at Dinamo Minsk, a home loss to CSKA Moscow and a road loss at Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk. Lada had also lost to Ak Bars Kazan, Barys Astana, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, SKA Saint Petersburg and Severstal Cherepovets. Lada remained near the bottom of the standings with its 1-10 record.

Avtomobilist is scheduled to host Amur Khabarovsk next. Lada is set to visit Avangard Omsk next. Both teams will continue their Kontinental Hockey League schedules.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Avtomobilist 3, Lada 0. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Avtomobilist with a 78.4 percent probability to win.