Salavat Yulaev - SKA

Salavat Yulaev - SKA - 3:1

26 January 2015

SKA finished off this particular away series with a match in Ufa against hosts Salavat Yulaev. Despite having only just taken part in the KHL All-Star Game Ilya Kovalchuk and Vadim Shipachyov were installed into SKA's lineup, with ex SKA defenceman Kirill Koltsov taking to the ice for Salavat. Mikko Koskinen retained his place in net with Igor Shestyorkin backing him up.

It was an even start to proceedings, with not too many opportunities being created at either end. Viktor Tikhonov worked an excellent chance for himself as SKA began to put the Salavat defence under pressure, as stripping his opponent of the puck between the circles he thumped the puck into the netminder's pads. Salavat then took the initiative though, and drew first blood. Denis Tolpeko powered in down the right, and after a lucky deflection he had Mikko Koskinen beaten.

Naturally the hosts went slightly into their shell with a lead to protect, and our team worked some brilliant openings in which to draw level. Artemiy Panarin had the best of the lot, as bursting through one on one he failed to get the better of Vladimir Sokhatsky. That miss was then punished to the full, as on that right flank Antti Philstrom got the better of our goaltender with the help of a heavy Yury Alexandrov deflection.

That goal made SKA's task a seriously hard one, but Dmitry Kalinin gave our team a lifeline. Closing down to the left of the slot he let a rocket of a wrister go, and it flew into the top far corner. Artemiy Panarin had an ideal chance to equalise as he took aim from a great position glove side, however the next, and killer goal, was scored by the hosts. A flowing play set up Alexander Mereskin peeling to the left, and with Mikko Koskinen already out of the picture he made no mistake. Despite Mikko then getting pulled for the extra skater it made no difference, as SKA fell for the first time in 2015 1:3 to Salavat.

Match protocol:

Salavat Yulaev - SKA - 3:1 (1:0, 1:0, 1:1)

Goals:

1:0 Tolpeko (Khlystov), 16.13

2:0 Philstrom (Syomin), 29.12

2:1 Kalinin (Kovalchuk, Tikhonov), 40.30

3:1 Mereskin (Golovanov, Ankudinov), 51.38

Goalkeepers: Sokhatsky - Koskinen

Shots: 32 - 29

Penalty minutes: 10 - 6

Faceoffs: 35 - 26

Hits: 19 - 15