Perfect At Home! Dragons Beat Metallurg 4–1 To Sweep Four-game Homestand

Two winning streaks entered SKA Arena on Wednesday night. Only one survived.

David Chen scored his first KHL goal, Takhir Mingachyov added his first as a Dragon, and Pavel Khomchenko stood tall in net as the Shanghai Dragons defeated Metallurg Magnitogorsk 4–1, completing a perfect four-game homestand with their fourth consecutive regulation victory.

Shanghai entered the night riding a three-game winning streak, while Metallurg arrived in St. Petersburg having won five straight. Both teams also welcomed key players back into the lineup: Vladimir Tkachev and Yegor Yakovlev returned for the visitors, while Mikhail Naumenkov and Khomchenko were back for the Dragons.

Something had to give.

It was Shanghai that refused to blink.

Tight, Disciplined Start

From the opening faceoff, it was clear how seriously both teams had prepared for the matchup.

There was little room available at either end. Both teams defended with discipline, avoided unnecessary risks and rarely gave up clean looks in dangerous areas.

But when opportunities did appear, Shanghai looked slightly more threatening.

The Dragons outshot Metallurg in the opening period and generated the better chances, with Nikita Alexandrov and Nate Sucese both coming close to breaking the deadlock.

Metallurg nearly found the opener late in the period when a shot struck the post, then received a power-play opportunity of its own.

Shanghai’s penalty kill handled it.

0–0 after 20 minutes.

Chen Breaks Through

The second period turned into a special-teams marathon.

The teams combined for 16 penalty minutes, spending much of the period at uneven strength. Metallurg accounted for 12 of those minutes and remarkably found itself facing a 5-on-3 Shanghai power play three separate times, with overlapping penalties repeatedly extending the Dragons’ advantage.

Shanghai initially struggled to turn all that power-play time into goals.

Then Chen found his moment.

At 33:36, David Chen jumped on a loose puck and buried it for his first career KHL goal, finally breaking the deadlock with Shanghai skating 5-on-3.

Yegor Solovyov and Brennan Menell picked up the assists.

Just 64 seconds later, the Dragons struck again.

This time it was Riley Sutter, scoring on a conventional 5-on-4 power play to suddenly give Shanghai a 2–0 lead.

But just when the Dragons appeared ready to take complete control into the intermission, Metallurg responded in the most frustrating way possible.

With Shanghai on the power play and only 30 seconds remaining in the period, Korotkov scored shorthanded to cut the lead in half.

After a period dominated by penalties and special teams, Shanghai headed to the locker room ahead — but with no margin for comfort.

2–1 after 40.

Mingachyov Gives Shanghai Breathing Room

A one-goal lead against a team riding a five-game winning streak was never going to feel safe.

Metallurg came out aggressively in the third, pushing forward in search of the equalizer. Shanghai, however, didn’t retreat into a defensive shell.

The Dragons stayed composed, defended their zone and continued looking for opportunities on the counterattack.

Vladislav Barulin nearly restored the two-goal advantage after carrying the puck into the middle of the offensive zone and creating space for a dangerous shot.

Then, at 51:47, the insurance goal finally arrived.

Takhir Mingachyov scored his first goal as a Shanghai Dragon, extending the lead to 3–1 and giving the home side some much-needed breathing room.

This time, there would be no frantic one-goal finish.

Four Games. Four Regulation Wins

Metallurg threw everything forward in the closing minutes. The visitors attacked with an extra skater, creating both 6-on-4 and 6-on-5 situations as they desperately searched for a way back into the game. Shanghai gave them nothing.

Khomchenko and the Dragons’ penalty killers protected the two-goal advantage, and with seven seconds remaining, Shanghai put an exclamation point on the night. Nate Sucese found the empty net at 59:53, with Brett Murray and Calen Addison earning the assists. 4–1.

A four-game homestand that began with Shanghai searching for its first regulation victory of the season ended with the Dragons having won all four games — all four in regulation. Avtomobilist. Dinamo Minsk. Sochi. Metallurg. Four games at SKA Arena. Four wins. Not a single point surrendered at home.

The Dragons now head back on the road, beginning their next trip on October 3 against Severstal Cherepovets.

KHL Regular Season 2026–27
Shanghai Dragons – Metallurg Magnitogorsk 4–1 (0–0, 2–1, 2–0)

September 30 | St. Petersburg, SKA Arena | Attendance: 5,572
Goaltenders: Khomchenko – Zavragin

Scoring Summary

1–0 — Chen (Solovyov, Menell) — 33:36 PP, 5-on-3
2–0 — Sutter — 34:40 PP
2–1 — Korotkov (Nechayev) — 39:30 SH
3–1 — Mingachyov — 51:47
4–1 — Sucese (Murray, Addison) — 59:53 EN

Shanghai Dragons Media Relations