SKA - Dynamo Moscow - 2:0

The sixth match of this 2015/2016 KHL Gagarin Cup playoffs series against HC Dynamo Moscow took place today in Saint Petersburg. No changes were made by head coach Sergei Zubov for this match, and Mikko Koskinen was between our pipes. Alexander Yeryomenko was in Dynamo’s net.

The pressure was on both teams for this match, and you could feel the tension. Dynamo were focused on tightening up at the back following their 1:4 defeat in the previous fixture, and they did a good job of shutting down out forwards. We didn’t have too many chances during the frame, and on the counterattack it was Dynamo having the best opportunities. Maxim Karpov charged away from our back line, looked sure to score, and only a fantastic Mikko Koskinen stick save denied him. SKA looked nervous, and we were having trouble getting set up in the opposing zone.

Our players had to change something for the second period, and they managed to do just that. An early Dynamo penalty helped us to get rolling, and we made full use of it. Nikita Gusev sneaked through on the left flank, and wristed high into the far corner. That got the fans excited, and just 25 seconds later it was two. Joakim Lindstrom beautifully fed Anton Belov at the left post, and the latter hit the jackpot. SKA were firing on all cylinders, and a stunned Dynamo were all over the place. The visitors were losing their temper, and it culminated in Alexander Osipov being chucked out of the game for squirting water into Vadim Shipachyov’s face. Dynamo were falling apart in front of our eyes, and we should really have made it three before the break. Evgeny Dadonov was stopped by the blocker in a decent position, and on a number of close range chances Alexander Yeryomenko kept his team in with a shout.

We took a defensive approach in the third, and we allowed Dynamo to come at us. The struggling visitors had no other option than to pile on the pressure, however despite having plenty of possession inside our zone they never really threatened. Our players were defending stoutly, and we were doing a great job of slowly killing the game. Mikko Koskinen was solid as a rock when called upon, and his only real serious save came against a cunning Juuso Hietanen wrister from distance. Dynamo pulled their goaltender in the final minutes, but that didn’t make any difference as SKA held on to win 2:0 and take the series 4:2! HC CSKA Moscow will be our opponents in the Western Conference final.

Match protocol:

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

Goals:

1:0 Gusev (Shipachyov), 23.12

2:0 Belov (Moses, Lindstrom), 23.37

Goalkeepers: Koskinen – Yeryomenko

Shots on target: 20 – 31

Penalty minutes: 4 – 28

Faceoffs: 35 – 21

Hits: 16 – 15

Referees: Anisimov, Sidorenko

17.03.2016. The Ice Palace, Saint Petersburg. Attendance 12264.