MOSCOW (Interstat) — CSKA Moscow used two goals from Dmitry Buchelnikov and a 22-save performance from Alexander Samonov to defeat Sibir Novosibirsk 4-1 in a Kontinental Hockey League game at CSKA Ice Palace on Monday. The announced attendance was 7,522. CSKA improved to 18 wins and six losses. Sibir fell to nine wins and 17 losses.

CSKA had won two of its previous three games, including a 7-3 victory at Metallurg Magnitogorsk and a 3-2 overtime win at Traktor Chelyabinsk. Its only loss in that stretch came in overtime at Avangard. Sibir had alternated wins and losses over its prior four games, a run that included a 3-1 home win over Ak Bars and a 4-3 overtime loss at Avangard.

The home side opened the scoring late in the first period. Buchelnikov scored at 19:22 of the first period, with assists from Yegor Zamula and Nikita Nesterov. The goal gave CSKA a lead it never surrendered. The opening period also included the first penalty of the game when Alexei Churkin was called for slashing at 10:17.

Buchelnikov struck again at 25:34 of the second period, with assists from Dmitry Samorukov and Denis Guryanov. The 5-foot-8, 150-pound forward finished with two goals on two shots. The goals were Buchelnikov’s eighth and ninth of the season. His second goal extended CSKA’s advantage and forced Sibir to chase the game. Samonov made the lead stand. The 6-foot, 161-pound goaltender stopped 22 of 23 shots and earned the win. His recent work included 24 saves on 27 shots in a victory at Metallurg Magnitogorsk and 23 saves on 24 shots in a win over Traktor Chelyabinsk.

CSKA extended its lead in the third period when Maxim Sorkin scored at 52:39, with assists from Marat Khairullin and Zamula. The goal came after Koshelev’s tripping penalty at 51:54 and was Sorkin’s 12th of the season. Zamula, a 6-foot-2, 172-pound defenseman, finished with two assists and one hit. Khairullin, a 5-foot-11, 181-pound forward, and Guryanov, a 6-foot-2, 183-pound forward, each recorded an assist and three shots, while Samorukov, a 6-foot-2, 198-pound defenseman, added an assist. Sorkin, a 5-foot-10, 187-pound forward, scored on his only shot of the game.

Sibir answered at 55:07 when Ivan Mishchenko scored his first goal of the season, with Semyon Koshelev assisting. Mishchenko, a 6-foot, 187-pound defenseman, scored on his only shot. The goal trimmed CSKA’s lead to 3-1 and gave Sibir a brief path back into the game. CSKA closed it out when Nikolai Kovalenko scored at 59:36, with 24 seconds remaining in regulation. Kovalenko, a 5-foot-7, 152-pound forward, finished with one goal on four shots and recorded his sixth goal of the season. Riley Sawchuk, a 397-pound forward, contributed three hits and one shot for CSKA.

Penalties interrupted the flow at several points. Churkin was called for slashing at 10:17 of the first period. Nikita Okhotyuk was whistled for tripping at 31:57 of the second period, and Alexander Mirzabalayev went off for tripping at 35:38. In the third period, Darren Dietz was called for interference at 44:20, Klim Kostin for slashing at 44:25, and Koshelev for tripping at 51:54. Each team was assessed three minor penalties. CSKA is next scheduled to host Torpedo, while Sibir is set to host Dynamo.

Interstat’s game simulator projected CSKA to win 5-1 entering the game. Its ELO system gave CSKA a 73.8 percent probability to win. The combined total of five goals finished under the over/under line of 4.5.