Severstal - SKA

Severstal - SKA - 1:2 SO

19 January 2023

In a tight encounter, SKA outlasted Severstal Cherepovets on the road in the 2022/2023 KHL regular season, claiming a 2:1 victory after a tense penalty shootout.

Three penalties taken during the first period forced SKA into competing on the back foot. For the most part, our players successfully dealt with the pressure applied by Severstal, but the hosts did take the lead on the powerplay with a mere four seconds remaining as Daniil Vovchenko's pass fooled Vladislav Podyapolsky as a consequence of a wicked deflection.

A tripping foul committed by Nikolai Polyakov gifted Severstal another powerplay at the start of the second stanza. Nonetheless, SKA had the best opportunities throughout those ensuing two minutes, with Zakhar Bardakov shooting into Dmitry Shugaev when clean through and Georgy Solyannikov thumping the puck against the goaltender from the right of the slot.

SKA were rewarded for a late spell of pressure in the frame with a powerplay goal in the 38th minute. Alone on the left faceoff circle, Marat Khairullin got the better of Shugaev with a trademark wrister.

To their credit, Severstal didn't let that setback affect them badly.

Instead of sitting back in the third period, the home team tried to compete on the front foot, forcing Podyapolsky into a few tricky saves. To our relief, Severstal wasted a great powerplay chance in the concluding five minutes after Svyatoslav Grebenshchikov had been punished for a holding foul against the onrushing Vovchenko.

Zakhar Bardakov had our best opportunity of the period, poking the bouncing puck into Shugaev's chest from an inviting position on the doorstep.

Severstal took the bold decision to swap Shugaev for the extra skater in overtime. Boasting possession for virtually the entirety of the additional five minutes, the Cherepovets-based organisation managed to create a handful of clear chances, but Podyapolsky stood tall to the challenge.

The 27-year-old goalkeeper was about to shine in the shootout too. With our goaltender preventing Severstal from converting a single penalty shot, and Nikita Gusev and Dmitrij Jaskin cooly scoring, SKA earned the extra point.

SKA will now prepare to face Torpedo in Nizhny Novgorod on Saturday. Puck-drop is scheduled for 17:00 local time.

Match protocol:

Severstal - SKA - 1:2 SO (1:0, 0:1, 0:0, 0:0, 0:1)

Goals:

1:0 Vovchenko (Geraskin), 19.56 PPG

1:1 Khairullin (Nikishin), 37.06 PPG

1:2 Jaskin, 65.00 SO

Goalkeepers: Shugaev - Podyapolsky

Shots: 55 - 78

Shots on target: 27 - 42

Faceoffs: 29 - 30

Hits: 15 - 18