KAZAN (Interstat) — Timur Bilyalov made 30 saves and Ak Bars Kazan scored three times in a little more than two minutes early in the second period to beat Barys Astana 4-1 in a Kontinental Hockey League game Wednesday at TatNeft Arena. Bilyalov stopped 30 of 31 shots for the win as Ak Bars improved to 7-4. Barys fell to 5-5. Announced attendance was 8,639.

Kirill Semyonov had one goal, two shots and one hit for Ak Bars. Ravil Yakupov recorded two assists, two shots and two hits. Dmitry Katelevsky scored on his only shot and added two hits. Grigory Denisenko contributed one goal, one assist, two shots and one hit. Vsevolod Logvin scored Barys’ only goal on two shots. Albert Yarullin had two assists, one shot and three hits. Mitchell Miller scored on two shots. Nikita Yevseyev added one assist, one shot and one hit. Semyonov’s goal was his third of the season, Katelevsky’s his third, Denisenko’s his fifth and Miller’s his third. Logvin’s opening goal was his fourth.

Barys struck first at 8:53 of the opening period when Logvin scored his fourth goal of the season. Logan Day and Semyon Simonov picked up assists on the play, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead. That lead held through the rest of the first period, even as Ak Bars began to build momentum. Bilyalov kept the deficit at one with several saves before his teammates broke through. Ak Bars generated pressure but trailed after the first.

Katelevsky tied the game at 1:54 into the second period, with Yakupov getting the assist. Denisenko then scored at 3:20 of the middle period, with Yarullin and Yevseyev assisting, to put Ak Bars ahead 2-1. Miller made it 3-1 at 4:14, finishing assists from Nikita Lyamkin and Yakupov. The rapid three-goal sequence turned a one-goal Barys lead into a two-goal Ak Bars advantage and forced Barys to chase the game.

Semyonov closed the scoring at 19:14 of the third period. Denisenko and Yarullin assisted on the goal, which made it 4-1. Bilyalov remained steady through the final minutes, and Ak Bars limited Barys’ chances after the visitors had opened the game with energy. Barys could not convert its early lead into a second goal, and Ak Bars controlled the final two periods. Bilyalov finished with 30 saves on 31 shots, while Barys was held to one goal. Barys failed to score on its third-period power plays, and Ak Bars’ penalty kill held firm.

Penalties punctuated the third period. Barys was called for too many players on the ice at 4:50 of the third, with Alibek Abzal serving the minor. Ak Bars’ Nikita Dynyak received a minor for throwing the puck outside the playing area at 10:40. Alexei Byvaltsev of Ak Bars was sent off for slashing at 14:58. The game ended with offsetting five-minute fighting majors to Ak Bars’ Nikita Lyamkin and Barys’ Tyce Thompson at the 60-minute mark.

Ak Bars’ win followed a recent loss at Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Barys had entered after losses to SKA Saint Petersburg and Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk. The result left Ak Bars at 7-4 and Barys at 5-5. Bilyalov’s 30-save effort was the backbone of the win, while Ak Bars’ forwards capitalized on their best stretch of pressure in the second period. Barys had opened the season with several high-scoring wins, but it managed only Logvin’s first-period goal in this one. The visitors finished with 31 shots, but Bilyalov turned away every attempt after the opening goal.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Ak Bars 4, Barys 2. Interstat’s ELO system had given Ak Bars an 83.8 percent probability to win.