CHELYABINSK (Interstat) — Arkhip Nekolenko scored twice and Anton Krasotkin stopped 32 shots as Sibir Novosibirsk defeated Traktor Chelyabinsk 2-1 on Saturday in a Kontinental Hockey League game at Traktor Sport Palace in Traktor Arena. The road win improved Sibir to 4 wins and 10 losses. Traktor dropped to 5 wins and 8 losses in front of an announced attendance of 7,500. Sibir never trailed after Nekolenko opened the scoring in the first period and added insurance in the second. Traktor cut the lead in the third but could not find an equalizer.

Nekolenko, a 6-foot-3, 201-pound forward, opened the scoring at 14:55 of the first period. Darren Dietz and Sergei S. Popov assisted on the play. Nekolenko struck again with 22:45 elapsed in the game, with Dietz and Alexander Yaremchuk picking up assists. Sibir led 1-0 after the first period and 2-0 after the second. Nekolenko finished with two goals, two shots on goal and two penalty minutes. He was Sibir’s top star and has been productive recently. Before this game, he had a goal, two shots, two penalty minutes and one hit in an overtime loss to Salavat Yulaev Ufa, then recorded an assist at Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk and an assist in a win at Salavat Yulaev Ufa.

Krasotkin, a 5-foot-11, 179-pound goaltender, was steady throughout and stopped 32 of 33 shots. He earned the win and helped Sibir protect a one-goal lead over the final 20 minutes. Dietz, a 6-foot, 201-pound defenseman, had two assists and one shot. Yaremchuk, a 5-foot-9, 170-pound forward, added one assist, three shots and one hit. Popov, a 5-foot-10, 183-pound forward, contributed one assist and two shots. Ivan V. Vorobyov, a 6-foot, 181-pound forward, registered two shots. Taylor Beck, a 6-foot-2, 203-pound forward, had two shots, two penalty minutes and one hit.

Traktor pushed back in the third period. Grigory Dronov, a 6-foot-2, 207-pound defenseman, scored with 41:59 elapsed in the game to cut the deficit to 2-1. Nikita Soshnikov and Artemy Nizameyev assisted. The goal came shortly after Sibir’s Yegor Alanov was called for tripping with 41:05 elapsed, giving Traktor a power-play opportunity. Dronov finished with one goal and four shots. Andrei Svetlakov, a 5-foot-11, 203-pound forward, had four shots. Alexander Rykov recorded four shots and one hit for Traktor.

The game included eight minor penalties. Traktor’s Vladislav Valentsov was called for tripping at 7:53 of the first period. Sibir’s Taylor Beck received a slashing penalty at 19:50. Traktor’s Stepan Gorbunov was whistled for hooking with 20:42 elapsed in the game. Sibir’s Stepan Nikulin was sent off for slashing with 39:10 elapsed. In the third, Sibir’s Yegor Alanov was called for tripping with 41:05 elapsed, just before Dronov’s goal. Traktor’s Alexei Rykmanov received a high-sticking penalty with 48:49 elapsed, and Alexei Savelyev was called for tripping with 55:45 elapsed, giving Sibir late power-play chances. Nekolenko took a tripping penalty with 58:46 elapsed, but Sibir held on during the final stretch. Traktor could not score on the late power play.

Sibir had lost to Salavat Yulaev Ufa in overtime and at Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk before this game. The win ended that two-game skid and gave Sibir its fourth victory of the season. Traktor entered after consecutive home losses to Amur Khabarovsk, though it had won at Ak Bars Kazan earlier in the stretch. The loss dropped Traktor to 5 wins and 8 losses and extended its home struggles. Sibir next plays at Barys Astana, then visits Salavat Yulaev Ufa. Traktor’s upcoming schedule includes a trip to Shanghai Dragons and a game at Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk. The teams are set to meet again in Chelyabinsk later this season.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Traktor 2, Sibir 1. Interstat’s ELO system had given Traktor a 69.1 percent probability to win.