Superb SKA blow CSKA away in Moscow!

24 November 2025

SKA produced arguably their best performance of the campaign tonight in Moscow, confidently defeating arch-rivals CSKA 4:1 on the road in the 2025/2026 KHL regular season.

Controlling the game from start to finish, SKA made short work of a lacklustre CSKA side, defending solidly when required and scoring at the perfect moments.

A quiet first period was controlled by SKA throughout.

With both teams competing with visible caution, barely any realistic chances were witnessed. Pierrick Dubé did create a couple of decent opportunities with his proactive approach in our fourth line, twice forcing opposing goalkeeper Alexander Samonov into challenging saves from inviting positions.

CSKA only called Sergei Ivanov into action twice in the opening stanza in comparison to our 11 shots on target. Prokhor Poltapov once wriggled to the doorstep and was shaping to shoot with Ivanov slightly out of position, but Brennan Menell managed to push the CSKA forward wide without committing a foul.

The second period was a livelier affair. And, to our delight, the deadlock was broken by SKA in the 26th minute.

Marat Khairullin thumped a one-timer past the stranded Samonov from the left circle, a chance which was made possible after Ignat Lutfullin had displayed impressive tenacity to steal possession.

Buoyed by that goal, our players continued to boss the play across the ice, testing Samonov regularly and keeping CSKA at a safe distance for the most part.

Our second goal arrived with a little over five minutes remaining in the stanza.

Rocco Grimaldi gave a flowing passing play the perfect finish, emphatically wiring Yegor Savikov's intelligent pass over the despairing dive of Samonov.

Two quickfire penalties in the ensuing third period threatened to present CSKA with a way back into proceedings.

The Muscovites eventually got on the board with around six minutes left in regulation time, but it was a bolt out of the blue while competing at equal strength.

Denis Guryanov - who was one of the few CSKA players to cause us problems with his sheer speed and energy - backhanded under Ivanov’s right arm when powering away on the counter.

However, SKA immediately burst CSKA’s bubble two minutes later, with Khairullin carefully sliding the rebound home after Samonov had stopped Murphy’s slap shot.

CSKA predictably pulled Samonov for the extra skater in the dying minutes, but that only resulted in Brendan Leipsic – who stood out with his energetic play – expertly shooting into the empty net.

SKA will now prepare to face Severstal in Cherepovets on Wednesday. Puck-drop is scheduled for 19:30 local time.

Match protocol:

CSKA – SKA – 1:4 (0:0, 0:2, 1:2)

Goals:

0:1 Khairullin (Vorobyov), 25.40

0:2 Grimaldi (Savikov, Blandisi), 34.46

1:2 Guryanov (Sprong, Roy), 54.13

1:3 Khairullin (Murphy, Vorobyov), 56.15

1:4 Leipsic (Blandisi, Grimaldi), 58.30 EN

Goalkeepers: Samonov – Ivanov

Shots: 45 – 43

Shots on target: 23 – 23