Nikishin salvages point for SKA in Yaroslavl

13 January 2025

Alexander Nikishin struck a last-gasp equaliser to salvage a hard-fought point for SKA at the Arena 2000, but Lokomotiv won it in OT to condemn us to a slender 3:4 road loss.

Trailing for almost the entirety of the third period, SKA saved the day with Nikishin hitting the jackpot on the PP, however a lapse in concentration in the extra frame meant that we had to be content with just the one point.

SKA had initially broken the deadlock in rather fortunate circumstances.

Alexei Melnichuk lost track of the puck following a wicked ricochet behind his net, and Zakhar Bardakov was on hand to tap it in.

Our players were making the majority of the early running at the sold-out Arena 2000. However, Lokomotiv found an equaliser in the 13^th minute slightly against the run of play, as veteran forward Alexander Radulov connected with Andrei Sergeyev’s pinpoint pass when unmarked to the right of the slot.

SKA responded to that setback well. Arseniy Gritsyuk was causing the Lokomotiv defence an all manner of problems, twice being denied by former SKA goaltender Melnichuk when creating big chances for himself.

Andrei Pedan came the closest to our second in the opening stanza, striking the left post with a deflected slap shot.

Lokomotiv opened up their maiden lead of proceedings in the second minute of the second stanza.

Following another unnecessary penalty taken by Sergei Plotnikov, Artur Kayumov got the better of Zavragin with a sharp wrister.

Nevertheless, our players didn’t let that goal affect their mindset, as they went on to boss large parts of the period. Too many guilt-edged chances were being wasted, though, with Plotnikov and Sergei Tolchinsky both failing to score with only Melnichuk to beat.

Our equalising marker eventually arrived in the 34^th minute.

And it was a beauty, as the in-form Ivan Demidov somehow lifted his fantastic backhander over Melnichuk with his back to goal.

Unfortunately, we weren’t level for long. Just like for Lokomotiv’s first goal, Radulov was left unguarded on the doorstep, and he expertly turned Alexander Yelesin’s slap pass under the helpless Zavragin.

That goal arrived moments after Mikhail Grigorenko had picked up a nasty head injury following a collision near Zavragin’s net.

The third period predictably saw Lokomotiv shut up shop and restrict SKA to very few clear opportunities.

But, after Radulov had hooked the puck out of play from inside his own zone and Zavragin had been pulled in favour of the extra skater in the concluding minutes, SKA did manage to force overtime.

Nikishin was the hero, launching an unstoppable cannon high into the left corner.

To our disappointment, that goal was indeed only enough for one point, as Rushan Rafikov tucked Radulov’s superb pass home to steal the victory for the Yaroslavl-based organisation.

SKA will now prepare to host Severstal Cherepovets in Saint Petersburg on Thursday. Puck-drop is scheduled for 19:30 local time.

Match protocol:

Lokomotiv – SKA – 4:3 OT (1:1, 2:1, 0:1, 1:0)

Goals:

0:1 Bardakov, 05.40

1:1 Radulov (Sergeyev, Ivanov), 12.13

2:1 Kayumov (Sergeyev), 21.34 PPG

2:2 I. Demidov, 33.30

3:2 Radulov (Yelesin, Ivanov), 35.48

3:3 Nikishin (Plotnikov, Grigorenko), 59.00 PPG

4:3 Rafikov (Radulov, Kayumov), 62.17

Goalkeepers: Melnichuk – Zavragin