Metallurg Magnitogorsk - SKA

Metallurg Magnitogorsk - SKA - 5:4 OT

5 September 2024

In a pulsating opening encounter of the 2024/2025 KHL regular season, SKA claimed just the one point against Metallurg Magnitogorsk on the road, conceding a slender 4:5 defeat in overtime.

SKA initially dominated the opening stanza, breaking the deadlock through Stepan Falkovsky on the powerplay with young forward Ivan Demidov providing an assist with his maiden KHL point.

However, Alexander Petunin equalised against the run of play on the counter-attack in the 15th minute.

The second stanza saw the game really open up.

Igor Geraskin, Robin Press - on the PP - and Andrei Kozlov handed Magnitogorsk the advantage on three separate occasions, but SKA responded with star debutant Evgeny Kuznetsov, Borna Rendulic and Arseniy Gritsyuk hitting the jackpot. Gritsyuk's goal arrived in the fourth minute of the third frame.

Unfortunately, though, Metallurg stole the win in OT with Scott Wilson getting the better of Artemiy Pleshkov on the break. Pleshkov had taken Nikita Serebryakov's place after Metallurg's second goal.

SKA will now prepare to face Lada away in Tolyatti on Saturday. Puck-drop is scheduled for 14:30 Moscow time.

Match protocol:

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

Goals:

0:1 Falkovsky (Demidov, Gritsyuk), 07.09 PPG

1:1 Petunin (Geraskin, Mikhailis), 14.31

2:1 Geraskin (Mikhailis, Press), 21.24

2:2 Kuznetsov (Rendulic), 21.41

3:2 Press (Silantyev), 23.27 PPG

3:3 Rendulic (Bardakov, Gritsyuk), 31.47

4:3 Kozlov (Yeryomenko, Khabarov), 34.31

4:4 Gritsyuk (Zemchyonok), 43.49