Committed SKA hold on for dear life against Minsk!

11 March 2026

Dinamo Minsk were on the verge of completing a dramatic four-goal comeback, but SKA just clung on to consequently emerge victorious 4:3 at the Ice Palace!

Having scored twice after pulling the goalkeeper midway through the third period, the Belarusians were well on top and piling on the pressure, but Vadim Shipachyov and Vitaly Pinchuk both missed late sitters as SKA somehow survived.

Our players had initially come bursting out of the blocks in the first period.

Ivan Vydrenkov initially opened the scoring with a bullet from distance, before Sergei Plotnikov hit the jackpot from close range and Matvei Polyakov completed a gorgeous give-and-go play with Rocco Grimaldi on the powerplay.

Plotnikov then grabbed a fourth with a powerful one-timer in the 30th minute to seemingly end the game as a contest.

However, Minsk weren't having any of it.

Alex Limoges got the away side on the board five minutes later, cleverly steering Sam Anas' feed beyond Sergei Ivanov when beating his marker.

The action really did become exciting in the third frame.

Pinchuk hauled Minsk back to within one on the powerplay in the 51st minute, bundling home after Vasily Demchenko had been pulled for the extra skater.

Lightning then struck twice, with ex-SKA star Shipachyov hammering past Ivanov on the PP with Demchenko sitting on the bench again.

Dinamo went on to create a number of guilt-edge opportunities throughout the remaining six minutes of regulation time. No one went closer than Shipachyov and Pinchuk, as the former smacked the crossbar when it seemed easier to score and the latter prodded wide with the goal gaping.

SKA will now prepare to host Severstal Cherepovets in Saint Petersburg on Friday. Puck-drop is scheduled for 19:30 local time.

Match protocol:

SKA - Dinamo Minsk - 4:3 (3:0, 1:1, 0:2)

Goals:

1:0 Vydrenkov (Pedan, Goldobin), 04.28

2:0 Plotnikov (Wilson, Goldobin), 09.15

3:0 Polyakov (Grimaldi, Menell), 17.25 PPG

4:0 Plotnikov (Goldobin), 29.59

4:1 Limoges (Anas, Pinchuk), 34.35

4:2 Pinchuk (Anas, Limoges), 50.28 PPG

4:3 Shipachyov (Anas, Smith), 53.55 PPG

Goalkeepers: Ivanov - Demchenko