Dragons Continue Road Trip with 4-1 Win Over Lada in Motor City

TOGLIATTI — The Shanghai Dragons continued their KHL road trip with a commanding 4-1 win over Lada at Lada Arena on September 26, marking their first road win of the season. Coaches made just two lineup changes from the previous game, with Burmistrov replacing Chekhovich and Kareyev taking over in goal for Rybar.

Lightning Start: Two Goals in 40 Seconds

Shanghai wasted no time asserting control. On the second minute, during a power play, Nick Merkley battled in front of the crease and opened the scoring – 1-0. Lada was caught in the penalty box and, just 40 seconds later, Adam Clendening buried a rebound to make it 2-0 by the third minute, leaving the home crowd stunned.

Penalty Kill and Defensive Composure

Lada immediately swapped goalies, bringing in Tretyak for Trushkov. The home team pushed aggressively in front of their fans, controlling much of the period, even earning a 5-on-3 opportunity, but Shanghai’s penalty kill held firm. Ellis nearly extended the lead with a dangerous chance that hit the post, but Kareyev was rarely tested otherwise.

Even Play in the Middle Frame

After the first intermission, both teams settled into a more measured pace, alternating offensive pressure without yielding much. Lada frequently activated their defensemen, but Shanghai’s defenders effectively covered lanes, limiting quality shots. At 33:07, Quinney capitalized on a breakout from Spooner and Rendulic, putting the Dragons ahead 3-0 – marking his first points since the season opener against SKA.

Playing Smart with a Lead

The three-goal cushion allowed Shanghai to control the pace, relying on counterattacks to keep Lada off balance. Burmistrov nearly added another, but the puck grazed the post. Defensively, the Dragons maintained tight coverage, supporting each other and leaning on Kareyev when necessary.

Closing the Game

In the third, Shanghai faced a short-handed sequence but generated more dangerous chances than Lada. Lada finally broke through at 53:15 when Andrei Chivilyov finished a pass from Dmitry Kugryshev, cutting the deficit to 3-1. The Dragons quickly regained control; with four minutes left, Lada pulled Tretyak for the extra attacker, only to immediately lose the puck, and Spencer Foo converted into the empty net to seal the game 4-1.

Next Up: Shanghai Dragons return to Moscow to face Spartak on September 28.

FONBET KHL Regular Season
Lada Togliatti – Shanghai Dragons 1:4 (0-2, 0-1, 1-1)

September 26, Togliatti | Lada Arena | Attendance: 3,998
Goalies: Trushkov (Tretyak 02:08) – Kareyev

Scoring Summary:

0:1 – Merkley (Quinney, Clendening) 01:28 PPG
0:2 – Clendening (Spooner, Rendulic) 02:08 PPG
0:3 – Quinney (Spooner, Rendulic) 33:07 PPG
1:3 – Chivilyov (Kugryshev, Romanov) 53:15
1:4 – Spencer Foo (Sutter, Somerby) 56:39 ENG

Press Office, Shanghai Dragons, Togliatti