Metallurg Magnitogorsk - SKA

Metallurg Magnitogorsk - SKA - 4:5

24 December 2015

SKA’s second match of this away trip took place today against HC Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Head coach Sergei Zubov included all three new signings into the line-up, with Sergei Shirokov, Pavel Buchnevich and Jonas Enlund playing. Igor Shestyorkin was our starting goaltender, and Vasily Koshechkin was in Metallurg’s net.

Both teams knew what a big game this was, and you could feel the tension right from the off. SKA begun holding the initiative, and took an important early lead on the powerplay. Patient build-up play teed up captain Ilya Kovalchuk on the right faceoff circle, and he unleashed an unstoppable one timer into the far corner. Metallurg didn’t learn their lesson from that, and twenty seconds after taking another foul SKA made it two. Vadim Shipachyov picked out Nikita Gusev on the opposite left flank, and the latter found the net unerringly. SKA were fully in control now, but out of the blue Metallurg got on the board. The puck was thrown in from the left hand boards, and Danis Zaripov poked in to bring the hosts back to within one. That goal rocked SKA, and the rest of the penalty strewn period belonged to Metallurg. Panic broke out on our slot time and time again, and Igor Shestyorkin made a couple of alert close range saves from Oscar Osala and Alexander Syomin.

Our team began the second period on the penalty kill, but after that was solidly dealt with our players took over. American Steve Moses outpaced the entire Metallurg defence, pulled to the backhand, and caught Vasily Koshechkin cold blocker side to reinstate SKA’s two goal lead. That marker knocked the stuffing out of Metallurg, and they completely caved in. Nikita Gusev made it four sliding the puck between the goaltender’s pads on the counterattack, and that prompted Metallurg into pulling Vasily Koshechkin in favour of young Artyom Zagidulin. That didn’t make much difference though, as minutes later Jarno Koskiranta expertly tipped in Dinar Khafizullin’s wrister. The hosts were all over the place, and Evgeny Dadonov almost got the sixth when clean through. Despite that pressure Metallurg still did have a couple of half chances, and Igor Shestyorkin made a smart mask save from Sergei Mozyakin between the circles.

The game looked to be over moving into the third, but we were in for a nasty shock. Just like against Torpedo two days ago our players took their foot off the gas, and Metallurg weren’t in a forgiving mood. Evgeny Artyukhin and Jarno Koskiranta took two quick fire penalties, and they were both punished to the full. Firstly Danis Zaripov finished off a tic-tac-toe play by the right post, and then Jan Kovar poked over the line following a bad bounce off Igor Shestyorkin. Metallurg had the wind behind their sails now, and with their home fans roaring them on they got a fourth with four minutes remaining. Sergei Mozyakin split the SKA defence, and beat Igor Shestyorkin with a beautiful move. Panic was breaking out among our ranks, however some big Igor Shestyorkin saves coupled with solid defensive play helped our team somehow see the game out. 5:3, and SKA take three huge points away from Magnitogorsk! The next match will take place on the 26^th of December in Ufa against HC Salavat Yulaev.

Match protocol:

Metallurg Magnitogorsk – SKA – 4:5 (1:2, 0:3, 3:0)

Goals:

0:1 Kovalchuk (Dadonov, Shipachyov), 02.29

0:2 Gusev (Kovalchuk, Shipachyov). 06.57

1:2 Zaripov (Antipin, Kaygorodov), 12.26

1:3 Moses (Kovalchuk, Kadeikin), 21.07

1:4 Gusev (Dadonov, Buchnevich), 26.37

1:5 Koskiranta (Khafizullin, Enlund), 30.43

2:5 Zaripov (Lee, Kovar), 50.44

3:5 Kovar (Lee, Mozyakin), 51.40

4:5 Mozyakin (Antipin, Kovar), 56.29