Comeback falls short against Minsk

10 October 2024

Despite launching a spirited comeback in the third period, SKA couldn't save the game against Dinamo Minsk, conceding an eventful 2:4 loss in the 2024/2025 KHL regular season at the Ice Palace.

Nicolas Meloche handed Minsk the advantage midway through the opening frame, bundling the bouncing puck over the line. SKA used their coach's challenge for goaltender interference in the hope of getting the decision overturned, but the officials stuck with their original call.

Matters went from bad to worse for SKA in the second stanza.

Ilya Usov pounced on a wicked ricochet off the boards behind Artemiy Pleshkov's net in the 30th minute, smacking the puck in with our goalkeeper caught horribly out of position.

A series of penalties didn't exactly help SKA's cause. With around four minutes remaining in the period, the Belarusians eventually managed to take advantage of one of their PPs, as former SKA forward Vadim Shipachyov whipped a firm wrister beyond the somewhat frustrated Pleshkov.

The 21-year-old was pulled in favour of Yegor Zavragin in the second break, with the latter consequently being handed his SKA debut.

SKA got on the board in the 45th minute through Evgeny Kuznetsov's tip on the powerplay. Nevertheless, Dinamo promptly conjured up a response, netting their fourth four minutes later with Zavragin being beaten by a one-timer from Usov.

After pulling Zavragin for the extra skater with eight minutes remaining, Alexander Nikishin scored another PP marker with a strong slap shot, but that was the best our team could muster.

SKA will now prepare to host Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg in Saint Petersburg on Saturday. Puck-drop is scheduled for 17:00 local time.

Match protocol:

SKA - Dinamo Minsk - 2:4 (0:1, 0:2, 2:1)

Goals:

0:1 Meloche (Volkov, Hamilton), 10.07

0:2 Usov (S. Kuznetsov), 29.20

0:3 Shipachyov (Volkov), 36.10 PPG

1:3 E. Kuznetsov (Nikishin, DeAngelo), 44.15 PPG

1:4 Usov (Pinchuk, Borikov), 49.01

2:4 Nikishin (DeAngelo, Grigorenko), 53.48 PPG

Goalkeepers: Pleshkov/Zavragin - Tikhomirov

Shots: 45 - 80