Severstal - SKA

Severstal - SKA - 1:4

12 September 2022

In the maiden away match of the 2022/2023 KHL regular season, SKA powered past Severstal Cherepovets, emerging victorious by a confident score of 4:1.

However, it was the hosts who initially came flying out of the blocks, as Roman Abrosimov charged to the net on the right flank and backhanded beyond the surprised Dmitry Nikolaev with a mere 27 seconds on the clock.

Nevertheless, instead of capitulating, our players quickly regained their composure and scored two markers to take the lead in the first period.

Shorthanded, Maxim Groshev firmly wristed into the left corner when clean through, before Marat Khairullin scored a similiar goal after bursting past the static opposing defence to skate 1-on-1. It's worth noting that Nikolaev picked up an assist for our second marker.

Severstal piled on the pressure during the first half of the second stanza.

Nikolaev was having to be alert in our net to make a handful of tricky stops. As the period progressed, SKA became increasingly dangerous on the counter-attack, and Zakhar Bardakov increased the lead to two in the 35th minute as his pass from behind the net was inadvertently deflected in by a home player.

The ensuing third period saw Severstal pull goaltender Vladislav Podyapolsky early on in order to play 6-on-4 after SKA forward Alexander Volkov had committed tripping.

The home team could barely create any realistic chances, though, as the SKA defence stood tall to the challenge with organised play. On a powerplay of their own, the away side subsequently put the match to bed in the 53rd minute, with Igor Ozhiganov hitting the jackpot from distance with a wrist shot.

SKA will now prepare to face Lokomotiv in Yaroslavl in Wednesday. Puck-drop is scheduled for 19:30 local time.

Match protocol:

Severstal - SKA - 1:4 (1:2, 0:1, 0:1)

Goals:

1:0 Abrosimov (Morozov, Lugovyak), 00.29

1:1 Groshev, 07.50 SHG

1:2 Khairullin (Pashnin, Nikolaev), 12.27

1:3 Bardakov (Volkov), 34.20

1:4 Ozhiganov (Khairullin), 52.43 PPG

Goalkeepers: Podyapolsky - Nikolaev

Shots: 49 - 40

Shots on target: 22 - 24