Game two. SKA - Lokomotiv

Game two. SKA - Lokomotiv - 4:1

25 March 2017

Game two of the 2016/2017 KHL Western Conference final between SKA and HC Lokomotiv Yaroslavl took place in Saint Petersburg. Head coach Oleg Znarok made a couple of changes, taking Yegor Yakovlev and Viktor Tikhonov out of the line-up. Mikko Koskinen and Alexander Sudnitsin were the starting goalkeepers.

Having conceded four goals at equal strength on Thursday, SKA opted for a much more defensive approach. Our players were focused on keeping Lokomotiv on the outside, rarely getting set up in the opposing zone. On the other hand, Lokomotiv came out all guns blazing, shooting at any given opportunity. The period was lit up by Mikko Koskinen, who pulled off a stunning save. Lokomotiv’s Denis Mosalyov was alone on the right wing, the net gaped but Mikko somehow sticked his one timer over the bar. However, Lokomotiv did manage to eventually score. Alexander Khokhlachyov took a penalty, the visitors put together a tic-tac-toe play and Dmitry Lugin made it count.

Fortunately, SKA got back on terms immediately in the second period. On the powerplay, Ilya Kovalchuk wound up for a heavy slap shot and Alexander Sudnitsin was left clutching at thin air. Holding the momentum, SKA notably improved, forcing the Lokomotiv goalkeeper into more saves. The visitors slowly wriggled the initiative back though, pinning our players by their own net. Mikko Koskinen was practically playing Lokomotiv on his own, pulling off a number of brilliant saves. The Yaroslavl outfit were on top, but against the run of play, SKA gained a lead at the end of the frame. Sergei Plotnikov received possession, went on a slalom and completed a beautiful play with a backhander into the right corner.

In the box seat, our players could sit back and wait for Lokomotiv to put the pressure on. The visitors huffed and puffed, but try as they might, they could only register five shots on target during the third period. SKA put the game to bed midway through the frame. Nikolai Prokhorkin netted his first of the series, tipping in a superb Sergei Plotnikov pass. Sergei sealed the deal moments later, beating Alexander Sudnitsin when one on one. That was all SKA needed, as the team saw the match out to win 4:1 and take a 2:0 series lead!

Match protocol:

SKA – Lokomotiv – 4:1 (0:1, 2:0, 2:0)

Goals:

0:1 Lugin (Loktionov, Averin), 17.12

1:1 Kovalchuk (Gusev, Shipachyov), 20.56

2:1 Plotnikov (Zubarev), 39.40

3:1 Prokhorkin (Plotnikov, Shirokov), 51.05

4:1 Plotnikov (Shirokov, Prokhorkin), 53.45

Goalkeepers: Koskinen – Sudnitsin

Shots on target: 22 – 29

Penalty minutes: 8 – 6

Faceoffs: 25 – 34