Khairullin, Korotky steal the show in Nizhnekamsk!

10 February 2026

Marat Khairullin and Matvei Korotky were on top form on Tuesday evening, amassing a grand total of seven points to fire SKA to an impressive 5:1 away triumph over Neftekhimik!

Having initially conceded first, SKA had their backs to the wall at one of the KHL’s toughest grounds, but our players responded with five consecutive markers to comfortably emerge victorious.

Familiar face Damir Zhafyarov opened the scoring in the maiden minute of the second stanza, bursting clean through after exiting the penalty box and wristing under Artemiy Pleshkov’s left arm.

Nevertheless, SKA quickly conjured up the perfect response.

Korotky hauled our team level in beautiful fashion, beating the Neftekhimik defence for pure skill and ruthlessly shooting beyond Filipp Dolganov in the home net.

Khairullin then gave SKA their first advantage when turning a superb Korotky pass home, before Joe Blandisi whipped a firm wrister into the right corner.

SKA well and truly put the game to bed in the early knockings of the third period.

Once again Khairullin and Korotky were at the heart of the action, with the former tallying a wonderful shorthanded goal after receiving a clever pass from the latter.

Sergei Plotnikov then put the icing on the cake with a powerful one-timer on the powerplay.

SKA will now prepare to face Barys Astana in Kazakhstan on Thursday. Puck-drop is scheduled for 17:30 Moscow time.

Match protocol:

Neftekhimik – SKA – 1:5 (0:0, 1:3, 0:2)

Goals:

1:0 Zhafyarov (Khoruzhev), 20.58

1:1 Korotky (Polyakov, Khairullin), 26.49

1:2 Khairullin (Korotky, Polyakov), 32.20

1:3 Blandisi (Wilson, Phillips), 36.49

1:4 Khairullin (Korotky, Pleshkov), 40.21 SHG

1:5 Plotnikov (Khairullin, Savikov), 42.58 PPG

Goalkeepers: Dolganov – Pleshkov