Severstal - SKA

Severstal - SKA - 3:4

27 November 2016

SKA played the second match of this particular home series against HC Severstal in Cherepovets. Despite Mikko Koskinen and Patrik Hersley travelling with the team to the match, head coach Oleg Znarok opted not to insert them into the line-up. Igor Shestyorkin and Jakub Kovar were the starting goaltenders.

Coming off the back of six consecutive defeats, Severstal imploded at this start of this game. A five on three opportunity gifted us the lead, as Yegor Yakovlev smashed a ripper into the net. That was only the start of it for Severstal. Jarno Koskiranta backhanded in when cutting to the slot, and on another powerplay, Sergei Shirikov whipped a beautiful wrister home. That signalled the end of Jakub Kovar's night, being pulled for Roman Smiryagin. However, much to our surprise, Severstak suddenly turned up to their own 60th anniversary party. Maxim Trunyov got them on the board, netting from the doorstep.

Buoyed by that goal, Severstal took over the initiative in the second stanza. Unfortunately, their pressure led up to a second goal. None of our defensemen could dig out the puck on the crease, allowing Evgeny Mons to make it a one goal game. All of a sudden, all of the momentum was with the hosts, and we relied on Igor Shestyorkin to preserve the advantage before the break. Daniil Vovchenko was Severstal's most dangerous player, failing to score when clean through.

With the match on a knife's edge, it was shaping up to be a nervy third period. Nevertheless, still creating chances, SKA eventually managed to score that crucial fourth goal. Severstal's defensemen forgot about Vadim Shipachyov between the circles, and Vadim made the hosts pay. Severstal still refused to go away though, clawing a goal back immediately - Yury Trubachyov's blast caught Igor Shestyorkin unawares. Thankfully, SKA saw the remainder of the game out, hanging on for a dramatic 4:3 victory in Cherepovets!

Match protocol:

Severstal - SKA - 3:4 (1:3, 1:0, 1:1)

Goals:

0:1 Yakovlev (Kovalchuk, Datsyuk), 02.41

0:2 Koskiranta (Barabanov, Shirokov), 03.56

0:3 Shirokov (Datsyuk, Yakovlev), 05.00

1:3 Trunyov (Vovchenko, Trubachyov), 09.41

2:3 Mons, 27.04

2:4 Shipachyov (Gusev, Dadonov), 47.41

3:4 Trubachyov (Vovchenko, Trunyov), 50.43

Goalkeepers: Kovar/Smiryagin - Shestyorkin

Shots on target: 26 - 36