SKA - Slovan

SKA - Slovan - 6:1

25 October 2016

SKA returned to Saint Petersburg to take on HC Slovan Bratislava. Head coach Oleg Znarok made a couple of changes: Alexander Barabanov took Sergei Plotnikov’s place in the first line, while Alexander Dergachyov stepped up to the third. Mikko Koskinen and Barry Brust were the match’s starting goaltenders.

Just like usual inside the Ice Palace, SKA began on the front foot. Still fresh from the 6:0 loss to SKA in Slovakia, Slovan were cautious during the opening shifts, not wanting to commit any risks. Putting on the pressure, our players did grab the opening goal – after a Slovan player took a penalty, Evgeny Dadonov clinically netted from the doorstep. Buoyed by that marker, SKA should really have increased the advantage – Barry Brust was keeping his team in it, saving a number of point blank efforts. Unfortunately, SKA were made to pay for their wastefulness. With the period coming to a close, Michal Hlinka’s low wrister sneaked under Mikko Koskinen’s glove.

Thankfully, SKA got it back together in the second stanza. Carrying on the traditions of the first, Slovan continued committing cheap fouls, and their ill-discipline proved to be fatal. Not in the mood for showing mercy, our team scored three consecutive powerplay goals – Anton Belov and Patrick Hersley both launched identical slappers high into the net, and Yegor Yakovlev cleaned up a juicy rebound. In the groove, SKA had Slovan right where they wanted them. The Slovakian visitors were all over the place, and they conceded a fifth when Nikita Gusev forced the puck over the line. Before the frame was out, we even netted a sixth – beating Slovan defensemen to possession, Yegor Yakovlev lashed beyond an out of position Barry Brust.

Despite Slovan knowing the game was up, they pulled Barry Brust for Justin Pogge. The forlorn visitors portrayed a bedraggled outfit, mustering only one shot in target in the period. At the other end, SKA were going all out for a seventh, piling the heat on the opponents. Alexander Barabanov thought that he had scored his goal, but after a video review, the referees determined that there had been goaltender interference. As time ran down, Oleg Znarok gave Igor Shestyorkin a chance in net, and he stood tall to protect SKA’s 6:1 victory!

Match protocol:

SKA – Slovan – 6:1 (1:1, 5:0, 0:0)

Goals:

1:0 Dadonov (Gusev, Shipachyov), 05.14

1:1 Hlinka (Daloga, Nedorost), 17.01

2:1 Belov (Kovalchuk, Gusev), 23.47

3:1 Hersley (Shipachyov), 32.20

4:1 Yakovlev (Voynov, Kovalchuk), 33.35

5:1 Gusev (Shipachyov, Dadonov), 36.40

6:1 Yakovlev (Dadonov, Shipachyov), 39.29

Goalkeepers: Koskinen/Shestyorkin – Brust/Pogge

Shots on target: 39 – 19