SKA – Kunlun Red Star

SKA – Kunlun Red Star – 7:2

21 February 2023

In the concluding home match of the 2022/2023 KHL regular season, SKA cruised past strugglers Kunlun Red Star at the Ice Palace, running out comfortable 7:2 winners.

Kunlun initially started with energy. During the opening few shifts, the Chinese visitors managed to create a handful of clear chances, with Tyler Wong somehow missing with a sharp wraparound and Dmitry Nikolaev standing his ground to deny the unmarked Jack Rodewald from the doorstep.

Following that slow start, SKA went on to take full control of proceedings with two quickfire goals in the 17^th minute.

Dmitrij Jaskin connected with Marat Khusnutdinov’s clever pass on the doorstep, before Vladislav Tsitsyura knocked the rebound past Matt Jurusik from a tight angle just 13 seconds later.

The one-way traffic predictably continued in the second stanza.

Alexander Volkov’s third marker with the backhander after receiving another superb pass from Khusnutdinov sent Jurusik to the bench.

However, his replacement Zehao Sun didn’t have much luck at all. Unfortunately for the 27-year-old Chinese goaltender, the first two shots which he faced flew beyond him, as Mikhail Vorobyov hit the jackpot when alone on the doorstep and Damir Zhafyarov wristed powerfully over Sun’s blocker.

SKA were in full control. Kunlun managed to get on the board against the run of play in the 37^th minute, though, with Devin Brosseau getting the better of Nikolaev from the right wing after our players had failed to clear the puck out of their own zone.

The impressive reinstated SKA’s five-goal lead at the start of the third period, tipping Nikita Gusev’s slap shot in.

Two minutes later, Kunlun tallied their second marker of the day, taking advantage of SKA’s first – and only – penalty with Ryan Sproul gobbling up the rebound from the left faceoff circle. Nonetheless, SKA would deservedly have the final word, as Gusev cooly converted a penalty shot after Kunlun defenseman Nikita Kostenko had committed an obvious hooking foul against the 1-on-1 Nikita Popugayev.

SKA will now prepare to face Sochi on the road in the concluding game of the regular season on Thursday. Puck-drop is scheduled for 13:00 local time.

Match protocol:

SKA – Kunlun Red Star – 7:2 (2:0, 3:1, 2:1)

Goals:

1:0 Jaskin (Khusnutdinov, Ozhiganov), 16.10

2:0 Tsitsyura (Grebenshchikov, Popugayev), 16.23

3:0 Volkov (Khusnutdinov, Jaskin), 28.49

4:0 Vorobyov (Nikishin), 29.36

5:0 Zhafyarov (Ketov), 30.00

5:1 Brosseau (Somerby), 36.16

6:1 Jaskin (Gusev, Rukavishnikov), 44.13

6:2 Sproul (Chelios, Lockhart), 46.29 PPG