SKA - Medvescak

SKA - Medvescak - 5:2

1 February 2015

The first home series of 2015 was completed with a game against Medvescak, from the Croatian capital Zagreb. Vyacheslav Bykov was finally able to re-install defenceman Andrey Kuteikin to the line-up, and Igor Shestyorkin took his place in net instead of Mikko Koskinen. Alexander Barabanov in the fourth line was replaced by fellow forward Anton Burdasov.

Everyone really needed a fast start, and that's exactly what we got. On the powerplay Yevgeni Dadonov was brilliantly fed on the doorstep, and he cleverly slid the puck under the goalkeeper. That gave our team something to feed off, and it could have been two or three immediately as Artemiy Panarin firstly thumped the puck wide of the far post from the left, and then backhanded his wraparound attempt wide by the right hand post. Out of nothing though Medvescak thought they had got back on terms, as Pascal Pelletier tapped home from close range. However after a lengthy video review, the goal was waved off due to a kicking motion. The visitors weren't happy about that at all, and while they were moaning SKA pulled away. Jimmie Ericsson netted the second when almost on the goal line, and then Maxim Chudinov's huge slapper was too hot for the goaltender to handle.

Despite those quickfire goals Medvescak kept on going, and in the second stanza they began to take the initiative after pulling netminder Calvin Heeter for Mark Owuya. After a missed SKA opportunity when on a four on three Medvescak got on the board, as Brandon Segal forced the puck in on a goalmouth scramble. That gave the Croatians the confidence to come out of their shells, and Brandon Segal almost had his second as he smacked the left post.

The tide felt as though it was turning, and just two minutes into the third period Medvescak made it a real hockey game. No one could take a hold of the rolling puck, and Bill Thomas somehow bundled it past the flapping Igor Shestyorkin. Nervous moments were ahead, but after riding the ensuing storm, SKA killed the game perfectly. First of all Yevgeni Dadonov went on an amazing solo skate down the middle to neatly score, and then Artemiy Panarin went top shelf when clean through to seal it. 5:2 in Saint Petersburg, and SKA get back to winning ways in thrilling fashion!

Match protocol:

SKA - Medvescak - 5:2 (3:0, 0:1, 2:1)

Goals:

1:0 Dadonov (Kovalchuk, Shipachyov), 03.44

2:0 Ericsson (Panarin, Cervenka), 13.32

3:0 Chudinov (Burdasov, Khafizullin), 14.56

3:1 Segal (Hutchinson), 30.08

3:2 Thomas (Kinrade), 42.07

4:2 Dadonov (Panarin, Shipachyov), 53.05

5:2 Panarin, 58.13

Goalkeepers: Shestyorkin - Heeter (Owuya)

Shots: 27 - 33