SKA - Yugra

SKA - Yugra - 7:2

5 February 2016

SKA’s final home match of the 2015/2016 KHL regular season took place today against HC Yugra Khanty Mansiysk. One major change was introduced by head coach Sergei Zubov: Ilya Kovalchuk was moved down to the second line with Nikita Gusev taking his place. Mikko Koskinen was still in our net, and Georgy Gelashvili was between Yugra’s pipes.

Our team came flying out of the blocks, and a sold out Ice Palace was on its feet within three minutes. Young defenceman Yegor Rykov powered down the left flank, sent a gorgeous feed to Ilya Kablukov on the doorstep, and the latter hit the jackpot. SKA dominated during the opening stages, and Yegor came close to a goal himself as his one timer was stopped by the right pad. The visitors didn’t like the way things were going, and they opted to change the flow of the game with a fight. Evgeny Orlov dropped his gloves with Ilya Kovalchuk, and despite Ilya winning Yugra emerged a completely different team. They were causing plenty of panic on our crease, and thought that they had equalised. One on one Yegor Ivanov was sure he had scored, however the referees determined that it had come back off the left post. That wasn’t the last time that the woodwork saved SKA, as in the final minutes a neat tip smacked the crossbar.

We began well in the second period, and doubled our advantage immediately. Ilya Kovalchuk showed off his puck handling skills, undressed the goaltender, and thrashed into the open net. Nevertheless Yugra didn’t want to be blown out, and not long later they got on the board. Pavel Medvedev took up a loose puck, burst through one on one, and shot under Mikko Koskinen’s blocker. That gave SKA a needed wake up call, and the rest of the period belonged to our team. Evgeny Dadonov reinstated the two goal lead with a snap shot from the right boards, and our number 63 then doubled his tally slotting into left corner up close. Our team were on fire, and a fifth was scored before the period was out. Joakim Lindstrom took on a rasping wrister, and the puck cannoned into the net high over the goalkeeper’s blocker.

Proceedings looked to be done and dusted, however our players seemed half asleep in the third period. Yugra seized the opportunity to take the initiative, and on a two man advantage they scored a second. Igor Bortnikov let a ripper go on the right faceoff circle, and his laser beam gave Mikko Koskinen no chance. The visitors kept on creating all of the openings, and Mikko was being called into regular action. His best save came against Yegor Ivanov, as at point blank range he made a stunning right toe save. Thankfully that was the closest that Yugra would come, and in a late flourish SKA ended on a positive note. Dmitry Yudin buried a wraparound for his first goal of the season, and Evgeny Ketov rounded things off with a clumsy late marker on the tip of the slot. 7:2 today, and SKA take an important victory! The next game will take place against HC Jokerit Helsinki in Finland on the 16^th of February.

Match protocol:

SKA - Yugra – 7:2 (1:0, 4:1, 2:1)

Goals:

1:0 Kablukov (Ketov, Rykov), 02.55

2:0 Kovalchuk (Kalinin), 20.59

2:1 Medvedev (Ivanov), 24.36

3:1 Dadonov (Rukavishnikov), 26.43

4:1 Dadonov (Gusev), 36.20

5:1 Lindstrom (Yudin, Moses), 37.42

5:2 Bortnikov (Zheldakov, Yatsenko), 48.10

6:2 Yudin, 58.57

7:2 Ketov (Barabanov, Kablukov), 59.56