Lokomotiv – SKA

Lokomotiv – SKA – 2:3

23 October 2023

In a thriller, SKA held on for dear life against Lokomotiv at the Arena 2000, earning a pulsating 3:2 triumph on the road in the 2023/2024 KHL regular season.

Although both teams contrived to take three penalties each during the first period alone, caution was the word of the day.

Clear openings were rarely witnessed at either end. Nevertheless, following a lengthy shift inside our zone which saw Lokomotiv create numerous chances on the slot, the hosts did open the scoring in the 12^th minute.

Unmarked to the right of the slot, Alexander Polunin calmly slotted Martin Gernat’s superb pass into the empty near corner. The same player had already struck the pipe during the same play.

SKA weren’t deterred, though. Our team quickly equalised in the 10^th second of the second period on the PP, with Vladimir Alistrov expertly knocking the rebound home after Alexander Nikishin had unleashed a bomb from the point.

That goal provided SKA with much-needed impetus. In stark comparison to the first period, our players applied pressure on Lokomotiv for the vast majority of the frame, pinning the hosts deep inside their own zone.

Our second marker deservedly arrived in the 30^th minute, and it was a real beauty.

After embarking on a highlight-reel tour of the Lokomotiv zone with silky skills, Sergei Tolchinsky pulled sharply to the doorstep from the right flank before giving home goaltender Daniil Isayev no chance with a snappy wrister.

SKA were bossing proceedings with their slick play. At the other end, Lokomotiv did manage to create two guilt-edged chances, as Maxim Shalunov hacked wide from the high slot and Denis Alexeev was brilliantly denied by SKA goalkeeper Nikita Serebryakov.

Predictably, Lokomotiv increased the urgency of their play in the third period, but SKA struck what turned out to be a killer blow in the 48^th minute.

On the counter-attack, Alistrov bundled the puck in after receiving an accurate pass from Croatian forward Borna Rendulic.

SKA appeared to be in cruise control. However, out of the blue, the match turned on its head with around eight minutes remaining when Alex Galchenyuk committed slashing at neutral ice.

Artur Kayumov took full advantage of the consequent powerplay, lashing past Serebryakov with our goalkeeper completely unsighted.

Smelling blood, Lokomotiv subsequently laid siege to the SKA net throughout the remainder of the game. At point-blank range, Georgy Ivanov, Kayumov and Yaroslav Likhachyov all appeared certain to score, but somehow Serebryakov protected SKA’s advantage with a series of incredible saves.

A combination of Zakhar Bardakov and Mikhail Pashnin then heroically blocked Alexeev's shot on the line on the rare occasion when Serebryakov was out of the picture.

While playing on a last-gasp PP after Mikhail Vorobyov had been penalised for tripping, Lokomotiv pulled Isayev for the extra skater and threw everything bar the kitchen sink at SKA, but the visitors refused to be broken down.

SKA will now prepare to face Kunlun Red Star in Mytishchi on Wednesday. Puck-drop is scheduled for 19:30 local time.

Match protocol:

Lokomotiv – SKA – 2:3 (1:0, 0:2, 1:1)

Goals:

1:0 Polunin (Gernat), 11.41

1:1 Alistrov (Kadeikin, Nikishin), 20.10 PPG

1:2 Tolchinsky (Sergeev, Nikishin), 29.31

1:3 Alistrov (Rendulic), 47.15

2:3 Kayumov (Shalunov, Ivanov), 52.21 PPG

Goalkeepers: Isayev – Serebryakov

Shots: 67 – 59

Shots on target: 37 – 31