Salavat Yulaev - SKA - 3:4

In a pulsating encounter, SKA kept Salavat Yulaev at bay in Ufa in the 2023/2024 KHL regular season, staving off a dramatic comeback to emerge victorious 4:3.

SKA quickly opened up a two-goal lead in the maiden frame through two PP markers from Valentin Zykov and Vasily Glotov.

Buoyed by those goals, SKA continued to compete with ruthlessness in the second period, extending the lead to four as Sergei Tolchinsky hit the jackpot when 1-on-1 after exiting the penalty box and Mikhail Vorobyov bundled the puck in. 18-year-old forward Amir Nugmanov picked up his first KHL point for Vorobyov’s goal.

Salavat promptly swapped Alexander Samonov for Ilya Ezhov in their net after our fourth.

The game looked done and dusted as a contest. However, Ufa had other ideas, embarking on an unlikely comeback which SKA survived by the skin of their teeth.

Alexander Sharov scored two powerplay goals in quick succession from close range. Having consequently gained confidence, Salavat started piling the pressure on SKA, refusing to let our players clear their lines.

Former SKA defenseman Dinar Khafizullin made it a one-goal game in the 52nd minute, smashing a huge one-timer over Nikita Serebryakov.

In the closing minutes, dangerous forward Alexander Chmelevski hit the crossbar for Salavat, but despite the hosts’ intense pressing SKA held on for dear life.

SKA will now prepare to face Avangard in Omsk on Tuesday. Puck-drop is scheduled for 16:30 Moscow time.

Match protocol:

Salavat Yulaev - SKA - 3:4 (0:2, 0:2, 3:0)

Goals:

0:1 Zykov (Glotov, Khairullin), 05.16 PPG

0:2 Glotov (Gritsyuk, Khairullin), 16.33 PPG

0:3 Tolchinsky (Nikishin, Bardakov), 31.24

0:4 Vorobyov (Nugmanov, Tolchinsky), 33.41

1:4 Sharov (Leivo, Chmelevski), 40.41 PPG

2:4 Sharov (Meloche, Shmelyov), 45.28 PPG

3:4 Khafizullin (Shmelyov, Sharov), 51.47

Goalkeepers: Samonov/Ezhov - Serebryakov

Shots: 77 - 49

Shots on target: 36 - 22

Faceoffs: 24 - 33

Blocked shots: 10 - 27

Hits: 22 - 8

Penalty minutes: 6 - 10

Referees: Belov, Oskirko

Linesmen: Parikov, Shishlo

04.02.2024.