SKA - Dynamo Moscow

SKA - Dynamo Moscow - 4:0

13 March 2016

Today inside the Saint Petersburg Ice Palace, game four of this 2015/2016 KHL Gagarin Cup playoffs series took place against HC Dynamo Moscow. Following the defeat two days ago Sergei Zubov made two major changes: Joakim Lindstrom and Roman Rukavishnikov replaced Ilya Kovalchuk and Andrei Kuteikin respectively. Mikko Koskinen and Alexander Yeryomenko were the starting netminders.

Friday’s match was a cold shower for SKA, and our players begun this fixture with serious adrenaline. The team powered into Dynamo’s zone, took shots from any possible angle, and took a deserved early lead: with a man’s advantage Nikita Gusev held possession, spread to Vadim Shipachyov on the right faceoff circle, and the latter found the net. Finally we had a home goal in the series, and you could feel the confidence course through our players. Dynamo were struggling to get out of their own end, and we had plenty of opportunities to score more. Steve Moses hit the left post, Maxim Chudinov and Anton Belov had monstrous slappers stoned, and Jarno Koskiranta backhanded wide of the right corner from point blank range.

All the momentum was with SKA, and our players continued dominating in the second period. Dynamo were being completely blown away, and we punished them to the full. On another powerplay Dynamo coughed up the puck, Vadim Shipachyov fed Evgeny Dadonov, and the latter beautifully tipped in. The Ice Palace’s roof came off with that goal, and soon everyone was on their feet again. Nikita Gusev powered onto the crease, expertly sent it back to Vadim Shipachyov, and our captain slotted home. SKA had smelt blood, and only Alexander Yeryomenko was preventing us from scoring more. Alexander Barabanov couldn’t beat the goalkeeper’s right pad when alone on the slot, and Sergei Shirokov ripped a cannon inches off target. Mikko Koskinen was largely a spectator at the other end, however when called upon he was as solid as a rock.

It was practically a done deal before the third frame, and we opted to shut up shop. Our players handed the initiative to the forlorn Dynamo, and those tactics paid dividends. Spaces opened up on the counterattack as Dynamo committed bodies forward, and we had some excellent chances. Pavel Buchnevich was denied by the right shoulder twice, and Alexander Dergachyov thumped against the pads on the crease. Nevertheless Dynamo still did have their moments, and Mikko Koskinen made one superb double save: Artyom Fyodorov and Dmitry Markovin looked sure to score on the slot, and Mikko reacted brilliantly to keep his shutout intact. That proved to be Dynamo’s final chance of note, and on a late powerplay we grabbed a deserved fourth. Nikita Gusev found Vadim Shipachyov at a tight angle to the right, and Vadim swept into the net for his hat trick. 4:0, and SKA tie the series up at 2:2! The next match against HC Dynamo Moscow will take place on Tuesday away.

Match protocol:

SKA – Dynamo Moscow – 4:0 (1:0, 2:0, 1:0)

Goals:

1:0 Shipachyov (Chudinov, Gusev), 02.45

2:0 Dadonov (Gusev, Shipachyov), 30.39

3:0 Shipachyov (Gusev), 37.59

4:0 Shipachyov (Chudinov, Gusev), 59.49

Goalkeepers: Koskinen – Yeryomenko

Shots on target: 38 – 25

Penalty minutes: 6 – 10

Faceoffs: 29 – 37

Hits: 16 – 16