MOSCOW (Interstat) — Amir Miftakhov made 37 saves, and the Shanghai Dragons defeated Dynamo Moscow 3-2 in a Kontinental Hockey League game Wednesday at VTB Ice Palace in Moscow, Russia. The announced attendance was 5,903. Miftakhov, the game’s top star, stopped 37 of 39 shots as Shanghai improved to 8-3-0. Dynamo fell to 5-9-0. The Dragons won on the road despite taking six penalties and spending long stretches on the penalty kill. Dynamo pressured late after pulling its goaltender for an extra attacker, but Miftakhov and Shanghai’s defense protected the one-goal lead.

Dynamo opened the scoring at 10:00 of the first period. Pavel Shen scored his second goal of the season, with assists from Nikita Korostelyov and Artyom M. Sergeyev. The goal came shortly after Shanghai’s David Chen was penalized for holding at 4:57. Shen later went to the box for hooking at 15:42, giving Shanghai a power play. The Dragons could not convert. Shanghai’s Turner Ottenbreit was called for cross-checking at 19:45, and Dynamo carried momentum into the first intermission with a 1-0 lead.

Shanghai’s penalty troubles continued in the second period. Nikita I. Alexandrov was penalized for too many players on the ice at 22:04, then for tripping at 36:59. The Dragons killed both penalties and finally broke through just before the period ended. Nate Sucese scored at 38:45, tying the game at 1-1. The goal changed the pace, as Shanghai began to generate more chances and limit Dynamo’s clean entries into the offensive zone.

Shanghai took control in the third period. Givani Smith scored at 48:15, with Colby Williams and Takhir Mingachyov assisting, giving the Dragons a 2-1 lead. Dmitrij Jaskin extended the advantage at 55:48, scoring his sixth goal of the season to make it 3-1. A penalty to Shanghai’s Calen Addison for throwing the puck outside the playing area at 56:03 gave Dynamo a late power play. Nick Merkley scored at 58:09, with Jordan Weal and Daniil Pylenkov assisting, cutting the lead to 3-2. Dynamo pushed for an equalizer in the final minute, but Miftakhov held firm. The Dragons blocked shots and cleared rebounds as time expired.

Miftakhov finished with one win, 37 saves and 39 shots against. He had recently posted a 22-save shutout against Lada Togliatti and a 25-save win against HC Sochi, continuing his strong run in net. Weal recorded one assist and four shots for Dynamo. Merkley had one goal, five shots and two hits. Pylenkov added one assist and six shots. Jaskin scored one goal with five shots and two hits for Shanghai. Smith scored one goal with one shot and four hits. Maxim Letunov had seven shots and two hits for Dynamo. Shen scored one goal with one shot and two penalty minutes. Sucese scored one goal with one shot and one hit. Williams had one assist, one shot and two hits.

The result continued a solid start for Shanghai, which has won eight of its first 11 games. The Dragons have been especially effective on the road, winning at Lada Togliatti and Dinamo Minsk earlier in the season. Dynamo has struggled for consistency and sits at 5-9-0. The home side has dropped several close games, including an overtime loss to Traktor Chelyabinsk and a shootout loss to CSKA Moscow. Shanghai’s penalty kill was tested throughout and held until a late Dynamo power-play goal. Dynamo’s power play generated chances, but Miftakhov was the difference. The Dragons also received timely scoring from Smith, Jaskin and Sucese, while Dynamo’s late goal from Merkley made the finish tense.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Shanghai 3, Dynamo 2. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Dynamo with a 65.8 percent probability to win.