SKA - Ak Bars

SKA - Ak Bars - 1:3

16 October 2015

SKA returned home to Saint Petersburg to play HC Ak Bars Kazan after the away win over Spartak Moscow. Head coach Andrei Nazarov made a few changes to the line-up, and for the first time for a few games Evgeny Dadonov and Vadim Shipachyov were placed together in the first line. Mikko Koskinen was our netminder, with Ak Bars’ Emil Garipov his opposite number.

The pace was ferociously high right from the off, and it was Ak Bars who created the best of the early openings. Working the puck back to the slot Mikko Koskinen had to make an excellent double save, and a Vadim Shipachyov interference call put even more pressure on our netminder. Nevertheless Mikko was in top form, and at full strength our players began to make things happen at the opposite end. Yegor Yakovlev almost took advantage of a juicy rebound up close, and Anton Burdasov thumped the left post when charging down the middle. The Ice Palace was getting louder and louder, and on a delayed call the first goal arrived. Anton Burdasov dug the puck out from the boards, sent it to the crease, and from a tight angle Evgeny Ketov beat Emil Garipov blocker side. Ak Bars weren’t going to settle for that though, and a minute before the siren they tied it up. Mikhail Varnakov led a charge into SKA’s zone, fed Yakov Rylov open at the right post, and the latter made no mistake.

Ak Bars were buoyed by that late goal, and they began the second frame with serious power. Mikko Koskinen as making save after save at point blank range with the visitors dominating in our zone, and our players were having real trouble controlling the puck. Marek Danola had one of the best chances for the Kazan outfit, but all alone on the slot he somehow couldn’t hit the target. The pressure was incessant, and eventually it did lead up to a goal. Vladimir Tkachyov found space to the right of the crease, and he wristed over Mikko Koskinen’s glove. The visitors were full of confidence, now, and they should really have had their third. Mikko brilliantly denied Mikhail Varnakov’s backhander when clean through, and then with a man’s advantage Ak Bars had a goal wiped off after the referees took a second look. At the other end SKA weren’t having much joy, however Jarno Koskiranta had a real chance when failing to make contact on the doorstep.

The third began with an Ak Bars five on three, and we had to rely on Mikko Koskinen making minor miracles to keep us in. Oscar Moller thumped in on net at the high slot on a number of occasions, but each time Mikko was up to the task. When not on the kill SKA were managing to keep the puck in Ak Bars’ zone for a prolonged amount of time, however couldn’t carve our any meaningful chances. All of the danger was coming from Alexander Barabanov, and after creating an almighty goalmouth scramble he backhanded inches wide of the left post late on. With only two minutes left though Anton Belov took a very untimely penalty for high sticking, and Ak Bars’ Oscar Moller tipped in to finish it. 1:3 today, and SKA will next take to the ice on Sunday at home to HC Lada Togliatti.

Match protocol:

SKA – Ak Bars – 1:3 (1:1, 0:1, 0:1)

Goals:

1:0 Ketov (Burdasov, Kadeikin), 17.37

1:1 Rylov (Varnakov, Glukhov), 19.03

1:2 Tkachyov (Azevedo, Daloga), 33.38

1:3 Moller (Azevedo), 58.35

Goalkeepers: Koskinen – Garipov

Shots on target: 29 – 44

Penalty minutes: 16 – 10

Faceoffs: 30 – 41

Hits: 6 – 7