Avangard - SKA - 2:3 SO

SKA completed this road trip with a match against HC Avangard Omsk in Siberia. Andrei Zubarev, Yegor Yakovlev, Pavel Datsyuk and Sergei Plotnikov all returned to the line-up for SKA. Mikko Koskinen and Dominik Furch were the starting goaltenders.

During this season, SKA have almost always been handed the initiative in the opening stages. Unsurprisingly, it was no different here. Waiting for counterattack opportunities, Avangard were happy to see our players in possession. As time rolled on, SKA were making more clever plays inside the opposing zone, and it eventually led up to a first goal – digging out a juicy rebound, Evgeny Ketov stuffed the puck beyond Dominik Furch.

Facing a one goal deficit, Avangard stepped up their game. The majority of the second stanza was played out by our net, with the Omsk outfit trying to force the issue. Nevertheless, despite their pressure, they didn’t have many clear-cut chances. Our defensemen were making some committed blocks, and the reward for such effort came in the final minute of the frame – with an Avangard player in the box, Ilya Kovalchuk struck a firm slap shot into the net.

After committing a late foul in the second, Avangard began the third period with a potentially vital powerplay. Sadly, they took full advantage of their chance – Valentin Pyanov backhanded in on a goalmouth scramble. All of a sudden, the hosts had the wind up their tails. SKA were being tested at the back, and shorthanded again, contrived to concede an equaliser – Nikita Nikitin’s slapper went top shelf.

The momentum had dramatically turned against SKA, but late on, our players managed to regain their composure. Steve Moses had a golden chance to seal all three points, however clean through, he was denied by an acrobatic Dominik Furch.

It went all the way to overtime, where Avangard were the livelier. Mikko Koskinen made eight saves to keep us in it, and he turned out to be the hero in the eventual shootout. Despite Maxim Pestushko scoring for Avangard, Nikita Gusev and Pavel Datsyuk replied for SKA, and a final Mikko right pad stop sealed a tough 3:2 win on penalty shots!

Match protocol:

Avangard – SKA – 2:3 (0:1, 0:1, 2:0 – 0:0. 0:1)

Goals:

0:1 Ketov (Hersley, Prokhorkin), 08.21

0:2 Kovalchuk (Plotnikov, Datsyuk), 38.48

1:2 Pyanov (Pestushko, Martynov), 41.18

2:2 Nikitin (Medvedev), 49.09

2:3 Datsyuk, 65.00

Goalkeepers: Furch – Koskinen

Shots on target: 34 – 27

Penalty minutes: 8 – 4

Faceoffs: 31 – 39

Hits: 25 – 13

Referees: Gashilov, Naumov

22.10.2016. Arena Omsk, Omsk.