SKA - Jokerit - 4:3

In the third consecutive home KHL match, SKA hosted HC Jokerit Helsinki at the Saint Petersburg Ice Palace, a game which saw forward Nail Yakupov return to the first line with Nikita Gusev and Pavel Datsyuk. Igor Shestyorkin and Janis Kalnins were the starting goaltenders.

During an eventful first period, Nikolai Prokhorkin opened the scoring with a clever effort at close range, but Pekka Jormakka quickly got Jokerit back on level terms as he backhanded beyond Igor Shestyorkin on the powerplay.

Defenseman Artyom Zub then notched his debut SKA marker in the second frame, slamming a huge one timer beyond the exposed Janis Kalnins. Niklas Jensen fired in a low effort from the right faceoff circle for Jokerit, however just one minute late, Nikolai Prokhorkin beat the goalkeeper when clean through. 3:2 after 40 minutes.

Unfortunately, Jokerit made their pressure count in the first period with Sakari Manninen grabbing a third Finnish goal on the breakaway. In the end, the game went to overtime, where SKA won the game after Oliver Lauridsen deflected a wayward Patrik Hersley slapper over the line. 4:3, SKA defeat Jokerit!

Match protocol:

SKA - Jokerit - 4:3 OT (1:1, 2:1, 0:1, 1:0)

Goals:

1:0 Prokhorkin (Barabanov), 15.11

1:1 Jormakka (Jensen, Lepisto), 16.12

2:1 Zub (Barabanov), 21.31

2:2 Jensen (Jormakka), 23.35

3:2 Prokhorkin (Hersley), 24.55

3:3 Manninen (Regin, Grant), 52.30

4:3 Hersley (Yakupov, Gusev), 63.50

Goalkeepers: Shestyorkin - Kalnins

Shots on target: 27 - 32

Faceoffs: 32 - 31

Hits: 30 - 20

Penalty minutes: 6 - 8

Referees: Oskirko, Frano

12.09.2018.