13-goal thriller as SKA see off Severstal!
13-goal thriller as SKA see off Severstal!
Even though there were glaring defensive problems, SKA powered past Severstal Cherepovets at the Ice Palace in the 2024/2025 KHL regular season, scoring eight in a memorable 8:5 triumph.
An incredible seven (!) goals were scored during the first period alone!
Nikita Korostelyov’s whipped wrister on the PP was immediately cancelled out by Valentin Zykov through traffic from distance. In the subsequent play, the unmarked Ruslan Abrosimov was only too happy to complete a flowing counter-attack for Severstal, but SKA responded within 68 seconds with Mikhail Vorobyov scoring a similar goal.
From then on in, SKA took charge.
Gifted 18-year-old forward Ivan Demidov put SKA ahead for the first time in the 13th minute, carefully tapping debutant Tony DeAngelo’s sumptuous pass over the line. Moments later, DeAngelo was celebrating his second SKA assist, picking up a helper with the 1-on-1 Vladimir Alistrov just about squeezing his effort under the forlorn Alexander Samoilov.
On that note, Samoilov was indeed sent to the bench in favour of Konstantin Shostak.
Nevertheless, it only took Shostak 92 seconds to concede his first, unable to deal with Marat Khairullin’s powerful wrist shot from the left wing.
With a memorable period drawing to a close, Khairullin could have even tallied SKA’s sixth, however he could only shoot low against the pads when clean through.
The fast-and-furious action continued in the second.
Our ruthless counter-attacks were cutting Severstal apart on an alarmingly regular basis. Following an initial slow start to the stanza, Zykov registered his second, getting the better of Shostak with a snappy shot.
To their credit, Severstal refused to wave the white flag, netting their third through Kirill Pilipenko in the 35th minute having completely escaped the somewhat unorganised SKA defence. However, that goal only succeeded in sparking SKA into life again, as Vasily Glotov batted the rebound home with the backhand before setting up Arseniy Gritsyuk with a perfect pass on the odd-man rush.
An unprecedented tally of eight goals across the maiden two periods relaxed SKA a tad too much.
Pleshkov was replaced by Nikita Serebryakov for the third stanza. It didn’t have the desired effect, though, as the skillful side from Cherepovets took the period 2:0 and threatened to mount an unlikely comeback.
Danil Aimurzin launched the puck beyond Serebryakov from the right flank with our goaltender’s view impeded by a teammate standing in front of him. Late on, Zykov contrived to take a 5+20 penalty for tripping, a foul which allowed Severstal to net their sixth through Adam Liska’s tip.
Buoyed by those goals, Severstal continued applying the pressure on SKA throughout the closing minutes, but thankfully for us they ran out of time.
SKA will now prepare to host Kunlun Red Star in Saint Petersburg on Sunday. Puck-drop is scheduled for 17:00 local time.
Match protocol:
SKA – Severstal – 8:5 (5:2, 3:1, 0:2)
Goals:
0:1 Korostelyov (Aimurzin, Pilipenko), 06.52 PPG
1:1 Zykov, 07.03
1:2 Abrosimov (Podshivalov), 07.25
2:2 Vorobyov (Tolchinsky, Pedan), 08.33
3:2 Demidov (DeAngelo, Pedan), 12.00
4:2 Alistrov (DeAngelo, Pedan), 13.23
5:2 Khairullin (Vorobyov, Vydrenkov), 14.55
6:2 Zykov (DeAngelo, Galenyuk), 28.20
6:3 Pilipenko (Aimurzin, Ilyin), 34.24
7:3 Glotov (Zykov, Pedan), 36.25
8:3 Gritsyuk (Glotov), 39.18
8:4 Aimurzin (Ilyin), 47.18
8:5 Liska (Duszak, Pilipenko), 54.50 PPG
Goalkeepers: Pleshkov/Serebryakov – Samoilov/Shostak
Shots: 66 – 72
Shots on target: 42 – 44
Faceoffs: 55 – 20
Blocked shots: 11 – 13
Hits: 12 – 5
Penalty minutes: 33 – 6
Referees: Metalnikov, Sidorenko
Linesmen: Polyakov, Novikov
27.09.2024. Ice Palace, Saint Petersburg.
