SKA - Dynamo Moscow

SKA - Dynamo Moscow - 0:4

11 March 2016

Game three of this 2016 KHL Gagarin Cup playoff second round series took place today in Saint Petersburg. One change was made by Sergei Zubov: Steve Moses returned to the second line in place of Alexei Ponikarovsky. Mikko Koskinen’s opposite number in net was Dynamo’s Alexander Yeryomenko.

There was a high intensity right from the off, and both teams looked to counterattack against each other at any given opportunity. SKA held the early initiative, and had two powerplays to get something going. Nevertheless we couldn’t create any real openings, and on Dynamo’s second penalty we conceded a shocking goal. Maxim Chudinov’s slap shot was blocked, Ivan Igumnov raced away clean through, and he undressed Mikko Koskinen – 0:1. The Ice Palace wasn't happy about that, and our players had some promising chances as the period ran down. Yegor Yakovlev wristed inches wide of the left corner from distance, and Evgeny Dadonov’s cheeky effort blocker side was stopped by Alexander Yeryomenko. The frame’s most interesting moment came just as the buzzer went off: Maxim Chudinov beautifully backhanded between the goalkeeper’s pads, but it was waved off after the referees determined that it had been scored after time had expired.

That proved to be a heavy blow to SKA, and the second period was one to forget. The visitors weren’t in a forgiving mood, and after Ilya Kovalchuk had lost possession Maxim Pestushko gobbled up a juicy rebound to make it two. SKA had to do something, and in the next play after that goal should really have got one back. Evgeny Dadonov set the puck back to the crease, Vadim Shipachyov had the goal at his mercy, and he could only blast it wide of the left corner. That miss proved to be crucial, as on the powerplay Dynamo scored again. Alexander Dergachyov’s skate broke, Mikko Koskinen couldn’t hold a bouncing puck, and Konstantin Gorovikov backhanded it into the empty net. Our players looked deflated, and couldn’t get in behind Dynamo’s defence at all during the remainder of the period.

Dynamo were feeling comfortable moving into the third period, and unfortunately we failed to make them panic. Chances galore came as Dynamo ran into penalty trouble, however despite numerous efforts to stuff the puck over the line it refused to go in. Nikita Gusev failed to score when at a tight angle to the left, Evgeny Dadonov couldn’t hit the target from point blank range, and Ilya Kovalchuk’s cannon was beaten away. Our players were becoming more frustrated as the period wore on, and in the last few minutes Dynamo delivered a final blow. Daniil Tarasov took on a hopeful wrister from distance, and he caught Mikko Koskinen cold. That was the final action of note, and SKA lose 0:4 in a dismal game three. The next match in the series will take place on Sunday the 13^th of March.

Match protocol:

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

Goals:

0:1 Igumnov, 15.43

0:2 Pestushko (Bryukvin, Tereschenko), 23.12

0:3 Gorovikov (Osipov), 36.23

0:4 Tarasov, 57.20

Goalkeepers: Koskinen – Yeryomenko

Shots on target: 34 – 26

Penalty minutes: 8 – 12

Faceoffs: 34 – 24

Hits: 20 – 4