SKA - Metallurg Magnitogorsk

SKA - Metallurg Magnitogorsk - 4:3 OT

15 September 2017

SKA and HC Metallurg Magnitogorsk did battle in Saint Petersburg for the first time since the 2016/2017 KHL Gagarin Cup final. Head coach Oleg Znarok promoted young forward Mikhail Maltsev to the second line, while Sergei Korobov was the back-up goaltender. Igor Shestyorkin and Ilya Samsonov were the starting netminders.

Motivated to earn an eleventh consecutive victory, SKA began brightly at the Ice Palace. Nikita Gusev had the best of the early opportunities, but he hit the pipe when faced with an empty left corner to aim at. Nevertheless, SKA eventually broke through - Viktor Tikhonov netted the opening goal with a sharp wraparound. Ilya Samsonov was keeping Metallurg Magnitogorsk in the game, pulling off twelve saves in the opening period.

However, Metallurg stepped up their game in the second stanza. The prolific Sergei Mozyakin tied the game up, skating down the left flank and lifting his rising shot over Igor Shestyorkin's glove. SKA had a response though, and our players managed to score two further goals in the frame. Evgeny Ketov reinstated SKA's lead with a fearsome one timer, before Pavel Datsyuk tipped Vladislav Gavrikov's weak attempt over the line. Things were going smoothly, but Andrei Zubarev was then chucked out of the game with a 5+20 penalty after a dirty hit.

Unfortunately, that penalty proved to be crucial. Viktor Tikhonov then took a minor at the start of the third period, allowing Sergei Mozyakin to whack a slap shot beyond the goalkeeper - 3:2. At full strength, SKA did have opportunities to kill off Metallurg's challenge, but Ilya Samsonov made some vital saves. Metallurg pulled him for the extra skater in the final minute, a move which resulted in the visitors forcing overtime. Nikita Pivtsakin netted from the doorstep with just 47 seconds remaining - 3:3.

To the Ice Palace's delight, SKA did eventually take the victory in the extra frame. Oskar Osala chucked the puck out of play, he was dished a penalty, and Patrik Hersley thumped home a trademark bullet to end the match. 4:3, SKA make it eleven KHL wins!

Match protocol:

SKA - Metallurg Magnitogorsk - 4:3 OT (1:0, 2:1, 0:2, 1:0)

Goals:

1:0 Tikhonov (Ketov, Kablukov), 10.48

1:1 Mozyakin (Denisov), 26.49

2:1 Ketov (Kablukov), 33.33

3:1 Datsyuk (Shirokov, Gavrikov), 37.58

3:2 Mozyakin (Osala, Kovar), 45.31

3:3 Pivtsakin (Mozyakin, Grigorenko), 59.13

4:3 Hersley (Datsyuk), 62.37

Goalkeepers: Shestyorkin - Samsonov/Koshechkin

Shots on target: 30 - 39