SKA - Lada - 2:1

In a tight battle, SKA just managed to edge past Lada Tolyatti in the second match to be staged at the SKA Arena, earning a tense 2:1 win in the 2023/2024 KHL regular season.

Only a late PP goal from Mikhail Vorobyov had avoided overtime, with his pass being inadvertently deflected under former SKA goaltender Vladislav Podyapolsky by a Lada player with less than four minutes remaining on the clock.

Ex-SKA forward Nikita Popugayev had initially drawn Lada level on the counter midway through the second period after Nikolai Polyakov had batted the puck past Podyapolsky for our team in the eighth minute.

Defending solidly throughout, Lada looked to have done enough to register at least one point, but up stepped Vorobyov to snatch a previous victory for SKA with time fast running out.

SKA will now prepare to host Salavat Yulaev Ufa in Saint Petersburg on Thursday. Puck-drop is scheduled for 19:30 local time.

Match protocol:

SKA - Lada - 2:1 (1:0, 0:1, 1:0)

Goals:

1:0 Polyakov (Pedan, Tolchinsky), 07.28

1:1 Popugayev (Kulikov, Altybarmakyan), 32.33

2:1 Vorobyov (Nikishin, Tolchinsky), 55.10 PPG

Goalkeepers: Serebryakov - Podyapolsky

Shots: 70 - 37

Shots on target: 42 - 25

Faceoffs: 34 - 31

Blocked shots: 6 - 14

Hits: 12 - 7

Penalty minutes: 6 - 13

Referees: Gashilov, Kulakov

Linesmen: Bersenyov, Yudin

13.02.2024.