Metallurg Zlobin is the Belarusian champion, ending a 10-year wait for industrial city on the banks of the Dnieper. The Steelmen prevailed in game seven of the President’s Cup final against perennial favourite Yunost Minsk.

It was the first time in 12 years that the Extraliga final had gone to a game seven decider and more than 15,000 fans came to Minsk Arena to see it. For Yunost, switching to the country’s biggest arena was a calculated risk; the team usually plays at the smaller Chizhovka rink on the other side of the capital city, but hoped that larger and louder home support would compensate for the loss of familiar surroundings.

Instead, the traveling support could be heard loud and proud. Cries of “Zhlobin, Zhlobin” rang out from the tribunes as the visitor took control. “I’d never have imagined anything like this,” said Metallurg’s forward Vitali Pinchuk, who has also played on this ice with Dynamo Minsk in the KHL. “It’s great. I’m so happy to hear it. Everyone’s making so much noise. It’s cool.”

The din from the away section was inspired by their team’s strong start. Metallurg shrugged off the absence of Artyom Kisly, whose four goals in the first six games of the series made him one of the leading scorers in the final. Instead, goals from Sergei Kuznetsov, 19, in the seventh and 27th minutes put Metallurg in control before captain Yevgeni Solomonov sealed the deal with an empty-netter. Defenceman Artyom Volchenkov, 20, had a hand in all three goals, while goaltender Alexander Samoilov had 31 saves to record the first shut-out of the final series.

“It’s a collective achievement,” said head coach Dmitri Kravchenko after the game. We did it for Zhlobin, for the steelworks and the people who work there, for our fans, who’ve been right behind us all season, giving us energy and strength. It was really tough, but we did it.”

The decisive game was also the most convincing victory of the final series. Earlier, every game was decided by a single-goal margin. Two of Yunost’s three wins came in overtime and, until the game seven showdown, every verdict went to the home team. Bucking that trend at the last, Metallurg achieved another unique feat: no team in the 30 editions of the Belarusian championship had previously rallied from 0-2 to win the final.

“Well done to Samoilov, well done to our defence and forwards as well,” added Kravchenko. “It doesn’t matter who scores the goals. What counts is that we worked together not to allow any goals, to deny the opposition a chance to shoot.”

Kuznetsov sets Belarusian record

While the coach was unwilling to draw too much attention to his leading scorers, Kuznetsov’s achievement crowned a record-breaking play-off for him. He finished with 19 (9+10) points, more goals than any U21 player in a Belarusian play-off campaign. Previously, Ivan Drozdov had five goals as a 20-year-old in Yunost’s 2020 triumph. Kuznetsov also matched Drozdov’s 19-point haul in that season.

“He’s a talented young guy,” Kravchenko added. “You’re seeing the result of his great work this season, he loves his hockey and enjoys playing the game.”

Rarely has there been a more vivid illustration of the handover from one generation to the next. In the regular season, and the early stages of the play-offs, Alexei Mikhnov was the dominant figure on the Zhlobin offence. The 39-year-old, who played for Russia at the 2006 World Championship and managed two NHL appearances with the Oilers, went at a point a game through 53 regular-season appearances and added 8 (5+3) in seven play-off outings. However, the alternate captain suffered an injury during the seven-game semi-final against Shakhtyor Soligorsk and head coach Dmitri Kravchenko promoted Kuznetsov to the top line – reaping the rewards in some style. With big post season contributions from Volchenkov (15 points), 19-year-old Alexander Suvorov (14, including two vital goals as Metallurg tied the series in game six) and 20-year-old Pinchuk (13), the second title in the club’s history owed much to its youngsters.

End of an era?

As well as a change in generations at Metallurg, this could be evidence of a shift in the balance of power in Belarusian hockey. Yunost has been the dominant force in the country for most of its post-Soviet history, winning 10 national titles – including the last three – and reaching nine consecutive cup finals since returning to the national championship after a season in Russia’s second-tier VHL.

Much of that success came under the outspoken guidance of former head coach Mikhail Zakharov. However, he left the club in 2019 and since then Yunost has enjoyed little continuity behind the bench. Zakharov’s immediate replacement, Alexander Makritski, won the 2020 title when Belarus, uniquely in Europe, completely its season despite the pandemic. However, he was replaced partway through the following campaign Yevgeni Yesaulov. Yunost won again, but this season Yesaulov continued with Alexander Polishuk replacing Aleksandrs Belviskis as his assistant. 

Yesaulov reckoned the difference between the teams came down to finishing the final game. “Both teams were worthy of winning the seventh game but unfortunately we lacked composure in front of the net,” he said. “Our opponent found the players who could score at the crucial moment, and we didn’t. Even so, the guys did well. We just came up short at the end.”