SKA - Lokomotiv - 3:0

Game three of the KHL Gagarin Cup first round series against HC Lokomotiv Yaroslavl took place today in Saint Petersburg. Head coach Sergei Zubov largely left the team the same for this one, with Pavel Buchnevich, Sergei Shirokov and Alexander Barabanov staying in one line together. Mikko Koskinen was in our net, and Alexei Murygin was his opposite number.

It was a very cautious start today, and both teams refused to open up against each other. You could feel the players’ nerves, and the puck spent most of its time flying around neutral ice. A couple of Lokomotiv penalties helped us take up the tempo, and a few opportunities arose at Lokomotiv’s net. Evgeny Dadonov’s wraparound was stopped by Alexei Murygin’s blocker, and Pavel Buchnevich made poor contact when open on the slot. Tempers rose as Vladislav Gavrikov took a dislike to Alexander Barabanov, and seconds after their minors ended SKA found the net. The puck bobbled to the right post, and an off balance Sergei Shirokov brilliantly batted past the goaltender.

Our players had the wind behind their sails, and they began the second period much more positively. Alexei Murygin was being called into sharp action for Lokomotiv, and he made a superb right pad save against Maxim Chudinov. The intensity had moved on to a different level, and on a powerplay we made our pressing count. Vadim Shipachyov hung on the right faceoff circle, and one timed beautifully into the near corner. That goal forced Lokomotiv to come out of their shells, and a number of deflected slappers from the point caused our goaltender problems. Nevertheless we were holding their advances off solidly, and at the other end Jarno Koskiranta whipped wide of the left corner in a fantastic position.

SKA were in complete control moving into the third period, and Lokomotiv kept on taking several penalties. Our team were hungry for a third, and Andrei Kuteikin’s thumper was denied by Alexei Murygin’s blocker. The players weren’t letting up, and on a breakaway we made it three. Evgeny Dadonov split through the Lokomotiv defence, set it back to Maxim Chudinov at the high slot, and the latter ripped his one timer over the glove. We opted to sit back after that goal, and Lokomotiv had the initiative for the rest of the stanza. Mikko Koskinen didn’t want to ruin his clean sheet, and his best save came against Yegor Averin – the Lokomotiv forward streamed through, looked sure to score with the backhand, but Mikko’s left arm fantastically deflected it up and out of play. That was as close that Lokomotiv would get, and SKA calmly took the win 3:0 to move ahead in the series 2:1! The fourth match will take place on Saturday in Saint Petersburg.

Match protocol:

SKA – Lokomotiv – 3:0 (1:0, 1:0, 1:0)

Goals:

1:0 Shirokov (Barabanov, Buchnevich), 14.17

2:0 Shipachyov (Kuteikin, Dadonov), 25.56

3:0 Chudinov (Dadonov), 46.59

Goalkeepers: Koskinen – Murygin

Shots on target: 31 – 29

Penalty minutes: 14 – 30

Faceoffs: 32 – 38

Hits: 17 – 11

Referees: Anisimov, Olenin

25.02.2016. The Ice Palace, Saint Petersburg. Attendance 12281.