SKA – Severstal

SKA – Severstal – 4:1

20 September 2023

In an entertaining encounter, SKA finally got back to winning ways in the 2023/2024 KHL regular season, confidently defeating Severstal Cherepovets 4:1 at the Ice Palace.

Vladimir Alistrov handed our team an early lead when powering clean through. Severstal soon tallied their equaliser, though, as a dreadful defensive mistake was punished by former SKA forward Ilya Ivantsov at the second time of asking.

Buoyed by that goal, Severstal created a series of guilt-edged chances in the remainder of the first period. Ex-SKA defenseman Nikita Sedov struck the base of the right post with a firm slap shot, before Danil Aimurzin contrived to completely miss the target with the goal at his mercy.

Unwilling to concede a sixth straight loss, SKA did improve greatly in the second stanza.

After wasting a number of clear opportunities, our second goal eventually arrived with a little over two minutes remaining in the period.

Nikolai Polyakov was the hero, as he provided Valentin Zykov with a tap-in after dispatching a superb pass across the slot which fooled the Severstal defence and goalkeeper Dmitry Shugaev.

Zykov's maiden marker was registered not long after the left post had come to SKA's rescue following a deflected slap shot from the blue line.

Severstal thought that they had equalised again at the start of the third period when bundling the puck in at point-blank range. However, following a coach’s challenge, the referees rightly disallowed the goal as a result of clear goaltender interference against impressive SKA representative Artemiy Pleshkov.

SKA then went on to practically put the game to bed with two quickfire markers midway through the frame.

Alexander Nikishin gave a flowing counter-attack the perfect finish it deserved in the 51st minute. Moments later, it was deja-vu for our fourth line, as Polyakov once again set up Zykov on the doorstep with an intelligent assist.

In the closing stages, Pleshkov twice shut the door on Ruslan Abrosimov with smart stops – the second preventing a lacrosse attempt from going in – and Sedov hit the pipe again, but SKA calmly saw the game out in Saint Petersburg.

SKA will now prepare to face Amur in Khabarovsk on Saturday. Puck-drop is scheduled for 10:00 Moscow time.

Match protocol:

SKA – Severstal – 4:1 (1:1, 1:0, 2:0)

Goals:

1:0 Alistrov (Pashnin), 06.19

1:1 Ivantsov, 10.12

2:1 Zykov (Polyakov), 37.40

3:1 Nikishin (Alistrov), 50.42

4:1 Zykov (Polyakov), 51.53

Goalkeepers: Pleshkov – Shugaev

Shots: 52 – 47

Shots on target: 33 – 23