MYTISHCHI, Russia (Interstat) — Dmitry Nikolayev stopped 38 of 40 shots and Traktor Chelyabinsk scored three times in the opening 4:20 of the first period before pulling away for a 6-2 Kontinental Hockey League victory over the Shanghai Dragons at Municipal‘nyj Stadion Stroitel‘ on Wednesday. Attendance was 5,583.

Traktor, the visiting team, improved its season record to 6 wins and 8 losses. Shanghai, the home team, dropped to 8 wins and 5 losses. Traktor had lost three straight entering the game. Shanghai had won five of its previous six before a home loss to Dinamo Minsk. The Dragons could not recover from an early surge that began when Shanghai was assessed two quick penalties.

Petan Nikolas was called for tripping at 1:20 of the first period. Ottenbreit Turner received a cross-checking penalty at 1:42. Traktor capitalized. Mikhail Grigorenko opened the scoring at 2:29, with assists from Grigory Dronov and Artemy Nizameyev. Grigorenko’s first goal was his second of the season. Stepan Gorbunov made it 2-0 at 3:31, assisted by Ivan Vydrenkov and Alexander Rykov. Gorbunov’s goal was his first of the season. Yaroslav Fedoseyev scored at 4:20, with Vladislav Valentsov and Maxim Dzhioshvili assisting, and Traktor led 3-0 before the first period was half over. Fedoseyev’s goal was his first of the season.

Shanghai answered in the second period. Dmitrij Jaskin scored at 25:59, with Nikolas Petan and Brennan Menell assisting, to cut the lead to 3-1. Jaskin’s goal was his eighth of the season. David Chen scored at 26:47, with Brett Murray and Calen Addison assisting, and suddenly the Dragons were within 3-2. Chen’s goal was his third of the season. Petan’s assist was his sixth, Menell’s his ninth, Murray’s his fifth and Addison’s his sixth.

Traktor responded quickly. Alexei Savelyev restored a two-goal cushion at 29:41, assisted by Nathan Legare and Andrei Svetlakov. Savelyev’s goal was his first of the season. Grigorenko then scored his second of the game at 33:32, assisted by Nizameyev, pushing the lead to 5-2. Grigorenko’s second goal was his third of the season. Maxim Dzhioshvili capped the scoring at 56:38 of the third period, making the final 6-2. Dzhioshvili’s goal was his first of the season.

Nikolayev, the top star for Traktor, earned the win in net, making 38 saves on 40 shots. He had previously recorded a 42-save victory in a 3-2 win at Ak Bars Kazan earlier this season.

Grigorenko, a 6-foot-2, 183-pound forward, finished with two goals on three shots. Dzhioshvili, a 6-foot-2, 214-pound forward, had one goal, one assist and two shots. Svetlakov, a 5-foot-11, 203-pound forward, contributed one assist, three shots and three hits. Savelyev, a 6-foot, 179-pound defenseman, scored on his only shot. Gorbunov, a 6-foot-5, 196-pound forward, also scored on his only shot. Dronov, a 6-foot-2, 207-pound defenseman, had one assist, two shots and two hits. Fedoseyev, a 408-pound defenseman, scored on his only shot, added two penalty minutes and delivered two hits. Nizameyev, a 388-pound forward, recorded two assists and one shot. Goryunov-Rolgizer, a 5-foot-9, 163-pound forward, put four shots on goal.

Shanghai’s goals came from Jaskin and Chen. The Dragons finished with two goals on 40 shots against Nikolayev, while Traktor converted its chances at key moments. Traktor also received penalties from Valentsov for too many players on the ice at 18:24 of the first period and again at 24:43 of the second. Alexei Rykmanov was called for interference at 24:53 of the second. Fedoseyev received a boarding penalty at 48:22 of the third. Shanghai’s Nate Sucese was penalized for hooking at 39:36 of the second, and Petan received an abuse of officials and unsportsmanlike conduct penalty at 47:23 of the third.

Traktor’s next game is at Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk. Shanghai will host Ak Bars Kazan.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Shanghai 3, Traktor 2. Its ELO system gave Traktor a 60.8 percent probability to win. The total score of 8 went under the over/under line of 4.5.