Lada outlasted in season curtain-raiser!

5 September 2026

SKA were given a major scare by a tricky Lada side in the maiden game of the 2026/2027 KHL regular season, equalising late on and subsequently securing a tense 4:3 win in overtime.

Despite having never really taken full control of the match, our players displayed determination to eventually get the better of the plucky Tolyatti-based visitors.

Sergei Sapego had initially opened the scoring for SKA with an unstoppable one-timer.

However, Lada quickly equalised through familiar face Andrei Chivilyov before Riley Sawchuk tipped in.

It was another Sergei who hauled SKA level midway through the second stanza, with Plotnikov forcing the puck home at close range.

Lada did then once again move ahead in the 43rd minute, as Ben King converted from the doorstep on the power play.

Nonetheless, with the minutes ticking down, Vasily Atanasov forced OT with a powerful wrister following a face-off draw.

And Korotky then completed the comeback with a trademark wrister three minutes into the extra period.

SKA will now prepare to host Dynamo Moscow on Monday. Puck-drop at the SKA Arena is scheduled for 19:30 local time.

Match protocol:

SKA - Lada - 4:3 OT (1:2, 1:0, 1:1, 1:0)

Goals:

1:0 Sapego (Goldobin, Knyzhov), 06.25

1:1 Chivilyov (Mikhailov, Sawchuk), 09.49