Lokomotiv – SKA

Lokomotiv – SKA – 3:2

8 September 2023

In a tight encounter, SKA couldn’t find the elusive equaliser in the third period against Lokomotiv away in Yaroslavl in the 2023/2024 KHL regular season, consequently conceding a narrow 2:3 defeat.

SKA didn’t hang around in drawing first blood.

While competing on the powerplay after Lokomotiv were penalised for having too many men on the ice, Mikhail Vorobyov neatly tipped Alexander Nikishin’s low effort beyond stricken home goalkeeper Daniil Isaev.

To our disappointment, that was as good as it got for SKA in the first period. Lokomotiv weren’t particularly creative with their attacking play, but a series of poor defensive mistakes from SKA allowed them to create clear openings on an alarmingly regular basis.

One of those errors resulted in their equaliser.

Vorobyov contrived to clumsily cough up possession behind his own net, and the unmarked Maxim Shalunov was on hand to turn Artur Kayumov’s ensuing pass over the line.

Lokomotiv were by far the more dangerous side in the opening stanza. Johan Mattsson was constantly being called into action, with the 31-year-old Swede registering 12 saves during the first period alone.

The second period saw SKA make an improvement in the opposing zone. On the powerplay, Marat Khairullin really should have given our team their second lead of the day, but he could only aim his attempt against the crossbar with home goaltender Daniil Isaev beaten.

The game took a dramatic twist in the 36^th minute.

Two penalties from SKA in quick succession opened the door for Lokomotiv to strike twice on the powerplay. At first, Andrei Sergeev sent a rocket in, before Denis Alexeev got the better of an understandably frustrated Mattsson from close range after he had somehow been allowed to skate to the slot from the right wing unchallenged.

Not long later, Daniil Tesanov wasted a glorious opportunity for Lokomotiv’s fourth when skating clean through, as he missed the net with Mattsson seemingly already down and out.

That miss was duly punished by SKA. With only three seconds remaining in the period, Nikishin unleashed an unstoppable one-timer over Isaev’s glove on another powerplay to draw the visitors back to within one.

Predictably, SKA set about pressing the sturdy Lokomotiv defence in the third period.

Although there weren’t many huge scoring opportunities, our players did manage to trouble Isaev 12 times throughout the stanza. Thanks to a superb pass from deep by Brendan Leipsic, Sergei Tolchinsky suddenly found himself skating 1-on-1 with the Lokomotiv goalkeeper, but he ran out of space and Isaev calmly pushed his wrister to safety.

SKA really did throw everything at Lokomotiv after swapping Mattsson for the extra skater in the concluding moments. But, despite applying great pressure on the Yaroslavl-based outfit, Isaev refused to be beaten anymore.

Next Tuesday, SKA will host Spartak Moscow in Saint Petersburg. Puck-drop is scheduled for 19:30 local time.

Match protocol:

Lokomotiv – SKA – 3:2 (1:1, 2:1, 0:0)

Goals:

0:1 Vorobyov (Nikishin, Khairullin), 02.56 PPG

1:1 Shalunov (Kayumov), 12.52

2:1 Sergeev (Shalunov), 35.11 PPG

3:1 Alexeev (Likhachyov), 35.44 PPG

3:2 Nikishin (Tolchinsky), 39.57 PPG

Goalkeepers: Isaev – Mattsson

Shots: 61 – 64

Shots on target: 34 – 28