Medvescak - SKA

Medvescak - SKA - 3:4

19 September 2015

SKA continued their European road trip today with a match against HC Medvescak Zagreb in Croatia. Following the overtime win over HC Slovan Andrei Nazarov didn’t make any changes to the line-up, with Ilya Ezhov still in our net. Calvin Heeter was his opposite number for Medvescak, as the hosts looked to rebuild after losing 1:7 to Spartak Moscow two days ago.

It was our players who made the better start in Zagreb, and with virtually the first shot of the game the deadlock was broken. Directly off a faceoff draw on the left Joakim Lindstrom opted to wrist, and it caught the Medvescak goaltender cold. It was the perfect start for SKA, and most of the opening stages saw our team controlling the puck while not playing at a particularly high pace. Indeed not a lot of goalscoring chances were seen at all, and it was Medvescak who gradually began to up the heat. Colby Genoway had a decent chance when open on the crease, however twisting he couldn’t beat Ilya Ezhov’s outstretched pad. Yegor Yakovlev came closest at the other end when wristing inches over from the high slot, and that ended up being the best chance that SKA created in the frame. Medvescak on the other hand kept putting on the pressure, and two minutes from the buzzer tied the game up. Marek Kvapil skated behind the net, found the open Radek Smolenak on the doorstep, and the latter made no mistake.

SKA began the second period on the powerplay, and immediately there was a real opening. Joakim Lindstrom found room on the left flank, crept clean through, but couldn’t squeeze the puck past Calvin Heeter. Our players were having the better of the game as time moved on, and the second goal arrived. Vadim Shipachyov neatly fed Evgeny Dadonov, and Evgeny fired confidently beyond the goalkeeper’s glove. That seemed to relax our team too much though, and the rest of the period belonged to Medvescak. Nearly all of the play was coming in SKA’s zone, and Radek Smolenak notched his second alone by the left post. The hosts were all over our team now, and after Ilya Ezhov made a huge glove save on Gilbert Brule from point blank range Patrick Bjorkstrand slapped wide of an empty right corner. They did eventually get their third goal, as Radek Smolenak confirmed his hat trick when allowed to shoot on the crease. Anton Burdasov came close for SKA as chances were at a premium, but his shot from a tough angle flashed across the goal line and out.

All the emphasis was on whether SKA could up their game in the third, and an equalising goal was a great start to the process. Vadim Shipachyov took up the puck glove side, attempted to squeeze the puck in between Calvin Heeter and the near post, and succeeded in doing so. Suddenly our players were playing with more urgency, and with eight minutes to go the decisive blow was struck. Anton Burdasov was tripped when clean through, and on the ensuing powerplay Anton Belov delivered the dagger unmarked on the left point. Despite all of their efforts Medvescak failed to cut out a real opportunity, and Evgeny Dadonov could have made it five had he not fired high when on a two on one. Medvescak pulled their goaltender with one minute to go, but it was to no avail as SKA held on to take an important 4:3 win away from Croatia! The next match will take place against HC Dynamo Moscow away on Monday.

Match protocol:

Medvescak – SKA – 3:4 (1:1, 2:1, 0:2)

Goals:

0:1 Lindstrom (Koskiranta), 03.48

1:1 Smolenak (Kvapil, Mertl), 16.50

1:2 Dadonov (Shipachyov), 25.50

2:2 Smolenak (Kvapil, Mertl), 30.56

3:2 Smolenak (Mertl, Arkalov), 35.59

3:3 Shipachyov (Dadonov, Burdasov), 41.22

3:4 Belov (Burdasov, Shipachyov), 52.19

Goalkeepers: Heeter – Ezhov

Shots on target: 24 – 21