Game five. SKA - Dynamo Moscow - 2:0

SKA played game five of the 2016/2017 KHL playoffs second round series against HC Dynamo Moscow. Head coach Oleg Znarok made one change to the line-up, swapping Nikolai Prokhorkin in the first line for Jarno Koskiranta. Mikko Koskinen and Alexander Yeryomenko were the starting netminders.

Holding a 3:1 advantage in the series, SKA knew that this was a perfect opportunity to put the final nail in Dynamo’s coffin. With that in mind, our players began brightly, immediately putting the pressure on the visitors. Evgeny Ketov hit the post in the opening shift, Sergei Plotnikov’s wraparound sneaked wide and several Ilya Kovalchuk slap shots were stopped. Dynamo goalkeeper Alexander Yeryomenko was single handedly keeping his team in the game, making seventeen saves in the first period alone. Dynamo did have one chance of their own, but on the powerplay, Lukas Kaspar could only smack the pipe with the goal gaping.

The dominance continued in the second period, with SKA laying siege to Dynamo’s net. The beleaguered visitors were struggling, failing to get out of their zone and registering only eight shots on target through 40 minutes. Midway through the frame, SKA finally made their advantage count. Patrik Hersley had his one timer saved, he gathered the rebound, set up Nikita Gusev and the latter ignited the Ice Palace. Full of adrenaline, SKA made it two just before the period came to its end. Artyom Zub hung at the point, slapped through traffic and Ilya Kovalchuk tipped beyond Alexander Yeryomenko.

Predictably, SKA switched their focus to defence. Our players opted to shut up shop at the back, doing their best to prevent Dynamo from building up ahead of steam. Fortunately, the away side couldn’t get anything going, rarely troubling Mikko Koskinen. Dynamo did pull Alexander Yeryomenko for the extra skater in the dying moments, but it made no difference as SKA calmly saw the game out to win 2:0 and clinch the series 4:1! SKA will now either play CSKA Moscow or Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in the Western Conference final.

Match protocol:

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

Goals:

1:0 Gusev (Hersley), 34.55

2:0 Kovalchuk (Kablukov, Zub), 39.18

Goalkeepers: Koskinen – Yeryomenko

Shots on target: 38 – 20

Penalty minutes: 6 – 10

Faceoffs: 37 – 31

Hits: 14 – 12

Referees: Gofman, Olenin

16.03.2017. Ice Palace, Saint Petersburg.