Dragons Extend Point Streak, Fall in Shootout to Dinamo Minsk

MINSK — The Shanghai Dragons earned another hard-fought point on the road but fell 2–1 in a shootout to Dinamo Minsk on Thursday night at Minsk Arena, in front of more than 15,000 fans. It was the sixth consecutive game in which the Dragons picked up points, though once again the shootout proved costly.

Ben Harpur made his Dragons debut, while Greg McKegg — fresh off scoring his first goal with Shanghai — centered the fourth line. Popugaev and Ellis missed the game due to minor injuries, and Patrik Rybar got the start in goal.

Aggressive Start from Minsk

Backed by a packed crowd, Dinamo came out flying — pressing high, finishing checks, and testing the Dragons’ defense early. Shanghai weathered the storm and nearly struck first when a deflection hit the crossbar. Still, Dinamo’s pressure eventually paid off: during their first power play, Ennis slipped a low shot through traffic to make it 1–0 at 9:31.

Despite the early goal, the Dragons began dictating play at even strength. However, a flurry of late-period penalties forced them onto the defensive again. Rybar stood tall under a barrage of shots, keeping it a one-goal game heading into the first intermission.

McKegg’s First as a Dragon

Shanghai came out sharper in the second period, quickly turning momentum into offense. On a controlled rush, Akolzin drove the puck wide and found McKegg, who pulled it to his backhand and fired past Demchenko’s glove for his first goal in a Dragons jersey — 1–1.

From there, the game tightened into a chess match. Minsk struggled to break through Shanghai’s structure, while the Dragons generated several dangerous rushes but couldn’t convert. Their puck movement was crisp, their forecheck deliberate — the only thing missing was a finishing touch.

Cautious Chess in the Third

The final 20 minutes were all about patience. Both teams played carefully, minimizing risks, aware that a single mistake could decide it. Dinamo missed a golden one-on-one chance midway through the period, while at the other end, the Dragons’ power play was turned aside by a brilliant sequence from Demchenko.

Neither team blinked as the clock ran down. The Dragons extended their point streak to six straight games, sending yet another contest into overtime.

Third Straight Shootout

In the extra frame, both sides had chances — Quinney and Merkley came close for Shanghai, while Pinchuk was denied by Rybar on a breakaway. After a tense five minutes, it came down to the skills competition once again — the third consecutive shootout for the Dragons.

Coach Gérard Gallant made a bold call, putting in Andrei Tikhomirov — last season’s Dinamo goaltender — for the shootout. But Minsk’s shooters were flawless, scoring on both attempts, while Shanghai couldn’t find the net.

The Dragons left Minsk with a point but also with a familiar frustration — close, competitive, but just short in the final act.

Next up: Shanghai wraps up its road trip on October 26 in Cherepovets against Severstal.

KHL Regular Season – FONBET
Dinamo Minsk – Shanghai Dragons 2-1 SO (1–0, 0–1, 0–0, 0–0, 1–0)

October 24 | Minsk Arena | Attendance: 15,086
Goalies: Demchenko – Rybar (Tikhomirov – SO)

Scoring Summary:

1:0 – Anas (Limoges, Pinchuk) 09:31 PPG
1:1 – McKegg (Akolzin) 23:04
2:1 – Dietz 65:00 SOW

Press Office, Shanghai Dragons