SKA - Dynamo Moscow

SKA - Dynamo Moscow - 2:1 SO

8 December 2016

SKA returned to the Ice Palace for a KHL match against HC Dynamo Moscow. Head coach Oleg Znarok kept the team largely the same, only replacing Nikita Gusev in the second line with Sergei Shirokov. Newly signed defenseman Artyom Zub paired Andrei Zubarev in the third. As expected, Igor Shestyorkin and Alexander Yeryomenko were the starting goalkeepers.

With this match being dedicated to the club’s 70^th anniversary, the Ice Palace was in a celebratory mood. Dynamo weren’t willing to abide by the script though, and the Muscovites had the best chances during the first period. Vladimir Bryukvin came the closest to opening the scoring, smacking the upright from distance. Nevertheless, just as the period was drawing to a close, a Dynamo hooking penalty allowed SKA to take the lead. Waiting patiently on the right faceoff circle, Vadim Shipachyov wristed high over the netminder’s glove.

Full of confidence, SKA continued to play with the initiative in the second stanza. Dynamo weren’t making life easy for themselves, taking a number of sloppy penalties. However, despite several promising chances, we failed to make the visitors pay. Closing down all shooting lanes, Dynamo were solid in defence, and on the counter, they were posing a threat. Shorthanded, Maxim Karpov failed to score when clean through, and in the final minute of the frame, Pavel Podshendyalov hacked wide with the goal at his mercy.

It was set up to be a seriously tense third period. SKA were focused on protecting the lead, but, sadly, Dynamo did eventually clinch their equalising goal. Escaping the attentions of our defence, Artyom Fyodorov lashed high into the far left corner. Tied game, and the next goal was going to prove decisive. The Moscow visitors weren’t letting us create real goalscoring opportunities, refusing to back down to our pressure. At the other end, Igor Shestyorkin stood tall to Dynamo’s rare odd man rushes.

Overtime was a logical outcome. In front of a sold out arena, SKA were intent on finishing Dynamo off, pinning Dynamo inside their own zone. Nevertheless, the away side, aided by on form goalkeeper Alexander Yeryomenko, held on for penalty shots.

Thankfully, that’s where our players proved to be the stronger. Sergei Shirokov and Ilya Kovalchuk cancelled out Artyom Fyodorov’s marker, sealing a dramatic 2:1 win against Dynamo Moscow!

Match protocol:

SKA – Dynamo Moscow – 2:1 SO (1:0, 0:0, 0:1 - 0:0, 1:0)

Goals:

1:0 Shipachyov (Belov, Kovalchuk), 19.44

1:1 Fyodorov (Robinson, Galimov), 49.45

2:1 Kovalchuk, 65.00 SO

Goalkeepers: Shestyorkin – Yeryomenko

Shots on target: 35 – 25

Penalty minutes: 6 – 6

Faceoffs: 25 – 22

Hits: 14 – 9

Referees: Belov, Naumov