Drama to the last as SKA salvage point

15 October 2025

In a contest of high drama and controversy, SKA salvaged a last-gasp point against Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk at the Ice Palace, albeit subsequently coming short in the ensuing penalty shootout to lose 2:3.

During a third period which saw two SKA goals contentiously disallowed, our team did eventually get back on level terms with Matvei Korotky’s equaliser in the dying seconds, but the shootout fell Neftekhimik’s away after they had swapped goalkeepers.

SKA had initially taken a deserved lead in the 18^th minute.

Having displayed silky skills to whizz past the Neftekhimik defence like a knife through butter, Joseph Blandisi neatly dinked the puck over the impressive Filipp Dolganov.

To our dismay, until the Hollywood ending, that was as good as it got for SKA.

Once again, just like on Monday, our players faded away following the first stanza, losing the puck carelessly with alarming regularity and failing to protect possession inside the attacking zone.

Our lax play was eventually punished with an equaliser from Neftekhimik in the closing stages of the second period, as the lively Danil Yurtaykin smashed the loose puck beyond the stranded Artemiy Pleshkov.

The third frame continued in much the same manner.

Pleshkov was single-handedly keeping SKA level. On two occasions, poor defensive SKA mistakes allowed the away side to create 1-on-1 opportunities, but Pleshkov came to the rescue with expert saves.

He was powerless in the 56^th minute, though.

Seconds after the Nizhnekamsk-based outfit had returned to full strength, another dreadful mistake presented Nikita Khoruzhev with a 2-on-1 chance, and instead of passing he opted to unleash a strong wrister which flew under Pleshkov’s blocker.

That goal came moments after Trevor Murphy’s first marker had been chalked off after a lengthy video review helped the officials declare that the puck hadn’t fully crossed the line.

Lightning was about to strike twice for the somewhat unfortunate 30-year-old Canadian defenseman.

While playing 6-on-5 after Pleshkov had been pulled for the extra skater, Murphy smashed a huge one-timer through Dolganov. But, following another video review which seemed to last an age, the referees came to the conclusion that Murphy had initially used a high stick to control the puck before he took aim.

Taking into account that we were already into the final minute, you’d be forgiven into thinking that was that.

However, you’d be mistaken.

In a remarkable turn of events, SKA did finally score a legitimate second goal to tie it up, as Matvei Korotky wired an unstoppable wrist shot high into the far corner from the left circle with a mere 33 seconds remaining on the clock.

The same player could – and maybe should – have become the OT hero. Drawing his stick back, the 19-year-old let a seemingly goalbound cannon fly from distance, but Dolganov somehow managed to divert it up and out of play with his blocker.

SKA then passed up another golden opportunity to secure the extra point when wasting a timely powerplay.

Our team were indeed left to rue those missed chances. Neftekhimik surprisingly opted to swap Dolganov in favour of Yaroslav Ozolin for the shootout, and that proved to be an inspired decision as the latter stopped all three of SKA’s attempts while German Tochilkin netted their only goal.

SKA will now prepare to host Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in Saint Petersburg on Saturday. Puck-drop is scheduled for 17:00 local time.

Match protocol:

SKA – Neftekhimik – 2:3 SO (1:0, 0:1, 1:1, 0:0 – 0:1)

Goals:

1:0 Blandisi (Goldobin, Pedan), 18.11

1:1 Yurtaykin (Khafizullin, Barulin), 36.43 PPG

1:2 Khoruzhev (Zhafyarov), 54.52

2:2 Korotky (Murphy, Khairullin), 59.27

2:3 Tochilkin, 65.00 SO

Goalkeepers: Pleshkov – Dolganov/Ozolin

Shots: 93 – 58

Shots on target: 51 – 31