Dragons Fly to First Victory in Moscow, Edge Spartak 3-2

MOSCOW — The Shanghai Dragons kicked off their preseason tournament in style, claiming a thrilling 3-2 win over Spartak Moscow in the first game following the club’s historic rebranding. Patrik Rybar, guarding the net against his former squad, made key stops to set the tone, while Spencer Foo proudly wore the captain’s “C” for the debut outing.

Spartak came out firing, energized by their raucous home crowd, generating early chances and testing Rybar with a dangerous 3-on-2 rush that nearly found the top corner. But the Dragons weathered the storm and gradually asserted control, peppering the red-and-whites with sustained zone time. It didn’t take long for Shanghai to make it count: in the 13th minute, Quinney pounced on a defensive lapse during a zone exit, burying the puck to score the first goal in Dragons history! 1-0.

Spartak responded quickly, converting a 5-on-3 advantage just over three minutes later to even the score. Moments before the first intermission, they almost grabbed the lead on an empty-net chance — only to be denied by a jaw-dropping save from Rybar, keeping Shanghai ahead.

The Dragons came out of the locker room firing, doubling their lead early in the second period. Quinney completed his brace as a misdirected stick from Maltsev inadvertently redirected the puck past his own goalie. 2-1! An offside challenge from Spartak proved futile, and Shanghai Dragons nearly added a third on the ensuing power play.

But Spartak refused to roll over. The home side pressed hard, repeatedly threatening from the crease and hemming the Dragons in their zone. Penalties began to pile up for Shanghai, forcing Rybar to work overtime, yet the Dragons’ penalty kill held firm. The intermission came at the perfect time, allowing the team to regroup and recover.

The third period saw Spartak control possession early, but the Dragons’ defense remained disciplined, cutting off passing lanes and frustrating the home side’s efforts. Finally, at 49:56, the Dragons converted another PP opportunity: Bischoff fired a crafty shot through traffic, with Popugayev creating havoc in front, and the puck found the back of the net. 3-1! Spartak’s Andrei Mironov responded two minutes later, but it was too little, too late. The Dragons held on, skating out of Moscow with a hard-fought 3-2 win.

Next Up: Shanghai Dragons vs. CSKA Moscow, August 30, 14:30. Tickets are available on the tournament website.

Mayor’s Cup – Day 2:
Spartak (Moscow) – Shanghai Dragons 2:3 (1:1, 0:1, 1:1)

August 30, Megasport Arena, Moscow
Attendance: 3 215

Goalies: Nikolaev – Rybar

Scoring Summary:

0:1 – Quinney (Rendulic) 12:41
1:1 – Todd (Keane, Poryadin) 16:15 PP 5-on-3
1:2 – Quinney (Bischoff) 21:07
1:3 – Bischoff (Rendulic, Spooner) 49:56 PP
2:3 – Mironov (Maltsev, Pashin) 52:58

Shanghai Dragons Media Department, Moscow