CSKA edge 11-goal blockbuster

29 September 2026

Goals galore in Moscow, but five weren’t enough for SKA as CSKA condemned our team to an avoidable 5:6 setback on the road.

Attacking with creativity and aggression throughout, SKA certainly had enough chances against a surprisingly ragged CSKA side, but they committed one error too many.

SKA had initially made their positive start count six minutes in, as Vasily Atanasov completed a flowing move on the man advantage having escaped the attentions of the static CSKA defence.

However, the Muscovites quickly turned things around.

And their two quickfire goals were somewhat disappointing from our point of view.

On both occasions the visitors contrived to cough up possession inside their own zone in routine situations, with Pavel Karnaukhov consequently hooking the rebound over Sergei Ivanov and the unmarked Nikolai Kovalenko sending a snappy low effort between the pads.

Our defensive woes worsened even further in the second stanza.

While SKA were continuing to attack with flair, they were being let down horribly by an alarming number of mistakes at the back.

Yegor Savikov had hauled SKA level for the first time with a stinging wrist shot on the PP in the second minute of the period. His equaliser was duly cancelled out by Kovalenko after Ivanov had failed to freeze the puck a mere 21 seconds later, but Rocco Grimaldi promptly made it three apiece with his first of the campaign on the counter.

Unfortunately, our countless turnovers eventually made us pay big time.

Karnaukhov secured his hat-trick in the concluding two minutes of the frame, cutting through our defence with far too much ease to score 1-on-1 and then winning the battle for the loose puck on the doorstep.

The decisive moment arrived in the early knockings of the third period.

Moments after Sergei Plotnikov had smacked the crossbar on the powerplay, Dmitry Buchelnikov put CSKA three to the good when he ruthlessly converted a 2-on-1 opportunity.

Nonetheless, refusing to lie down without a fight, SKA quickly cut the deficit to two with Nikita Dishkovsky’s well-taken effort.

Vladislav Romanov subsequently made it a one-goal game with a rising shot from distance to guarantee a grandstand finish.

But, despite Alexei Maklyukov hitting the right post and Dishkovsky aiming his last-gasp shot against Samonov, SKA just ran out of time.

Our players will now prepare to host Admiral Vladivostok in Saint Petersburg on Saturday. Puck-drop is scheduled for 17:00 local time.

Match protocol:

CSKA – SKA – 6:5 (2:1, 3:2, 1:2)

Goals:

0:1 Atanasov (Bardakov, Plotnikov), 05.24 PPG

1:1 Karnaukhov (Nesterov), 10.32

2:1 Kovalenko (Guryanov), 13.46

2:2 Savikov (Goldobin, Plotnikov), 21.53 PPG

3:2 Kovalenko (Guryanov, Drozdov), 22.14