Avtomobilist - SKA

Avtomobilist - SKA - 3:2 SO

19 September 2016

SKA played their second match of this particular KHL away series against HC Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg. Interim head coach Pyotr Vorobyov didn’t make any major changes, and the starting goalkeepers for this game were Igor Shestyorkin and Igor Ustinsky. Yegor Rykov was the lone defenseman in the fourth line.

Our players were intent on making it three wins in a row, and they tallied up an early goal – Evgeny Ketov cleverly tipped home an Andrei Zubarev wrister. Avtomobilist were nervy during the opening stages, however as the period went on, they slowly grew into the game. The home support behind them was vociferous, and Igor Shestyorkin was forced into dealing with the pressure that the Ural outfit threw at him. The early goal had allowed SKA to relax slightly, and we largely looked to create danger on the counterattack.

Before the game, coach Vladimir Fedosov had spoken about the importance of discipline, but the players didn’t take heed. Sergei Plotnikov contrived to take three penalties in a row during the second stanza, and unfortunately, Avtomobilist took full advantage. Dmitry Monya tied the game up with a neat deflection, and fifteen minutes later, Petr Koukal wristed firmly into the left corner. SKA’s players were struggling to get much going, and the hosts found themselves firmly in charge.

Affairs continued to be littered by cheap penalties in the third, and they prevented us from sustaining any real pressure. Nevertheless, the players kept on plugging away and six minutes from time we eventually found that elusive equaliser – Alexander Barabanov gobbled up a loose puck on the crease to net his sixth goal of the campaign. With full time approaching, both teams tightened up and were afraid to take any unnecessary risks.

Overtime it was, and SKA had a golden opportunity to win it – one on one, Vyacheslav Voynov could only shoot into Igor Ustinsky’s body. The dreaded shootout couldn’t be avoided, and Avtomobilist proved to be the more accurate – Petr Koukal’s double cancelled out a stunning Alexander Barabanov effort. 2:3 today, SKA will now fly to Khanty Mansiysk to play HC Yugra on Wednesday.

Match protocol:

Avtomobilist – SKA – 3:2 SO (0:1, 2:0, 0:1, 0:0 – 1:0)

Goals:

0:1 Ketov (Zubarev, Kablukov), 02.00

1:1 Monya (Torchenyuk, Gareev), 23.44

2:1 Koukal (Megalinsky), 38.07

2:2 Barabanov (Yakovlev), 53.33

3:2 Koukal, 65.00

Goalkeepers: Ustinsky – Shestyorkin

Shots on target: 26 – 38

Penalty minutes: 10 – 10

Faceoffs: 35 – 28