In the first home game to take place at Shayba Arena for the “Sochi Leopards”, they fell into quite a hole. Headed towards the conclusion of the second period, visitors Kunlun Red Star had a 3-0 lead after controlling possession and the pace of play for a considerable amount of the game. However, blueliner Jesse Graham made it a game with just over a minute remaining, on a goal with a primary assist by C and recently appointed captain Marat Khusnutdinov (MIN, 37th overall, 2020 NHL Entry Draft) and a secondary apple by LW Artur Tyanulin. Khusnutdinov would tally another primary helper on LW Nikolai Chebykin’s goal to bring the score to 3-2 early in the third, with RW Matvei Michkov (PHI, 7th overall, 2023 NHL Entry Draft) credited for a secondary assist. The comeback would come to full fruition with Khusnutdinov at the forefront, with the Sochi captain tying the game at 3-a-piece with just under 12 minutes remaining on assists by Tyanulin and Michkov. Despite the hole that HC Sochi fell in and their being outshot 43-28 in regulation, they would send this game to overtime and guarantee themselves at least a point. This fight back did not culminate in a W, as Parker Foo would score with just a minute and a half remaining in the extra stanza on assists by Jake Chelios and Brandon McMillan. However, Sochi put on quite a performance for their home crowd and gathered a point in the fifth of their last six games. The team appears confident and in good form; however, they are 14 points behind Dinamo for the final playoff spot with only 11 games left to play. Head coach Dmitri Kokorev and his staff and players will have to pack their lunch pail while hoping Dinamo falters a bit to punch their ticket into the postseason.