Disappointing home setback to Sochi

7 November 2024

SKA conceded a surprise setback to KHL outsiders Sochi, suffering a 2:5 loss at the Saint Petersburg Ice Palace.

This means that SKA have indeed now lost four on the bounce.

Sochi started the brighter, opening the scoring through Timur Khafizov in the 13th minute. Buoyed by that goal, the opponents then doubled their advantage in the first minute of the second stanza, with Artur Tyanulin tipping beyond Yegor Zavragin.

That goal saw Zavragin sent to the bench in favour of Pavel Moisevich.

Unfortunately, though, that change failed to have the desired effect. The lively Khafizov made it three for Sochi at the start of the third period on the powerplay, as he got the better of Moisevich from the left circle.

Not long later, Marat Khairullin got SKA on the board with an excellent individual effort, but Sochi responded immediately through Andrei Nikonov at point-blank range.

Daniil Avershin sealed the deal for Sochi with a late empty-netter. Mikhail Vorobyov did grab a second for SKA from the doorstep with 28 seconds remaining, but it made no difference to the outcome.

SKA will now prepare to face Avangard away in Omsk on Monday. Puck-drop is scheduled for 16:30 Moscow time.

Match protocol:

SKA – Sochi – 2:5 (0:1, 0:1, 2:3)

Goals:

0:1 Khafizov, 12.51

0:2 Tyanulin (Graham), 20.33

0:3 Khafizov (Graham, Kuznetsov), 41.32 PPG

1:3 Khairullin, 51.13

1:4 Nikonov (Koryagin), 51.48

1:5 Avershin (Khafizov, Ivanov), 56.47 EN

2:5 Vorobyov (Zykov, Khairullin), 59.32

Goalkeepers: Zavragin/Moisevich – Ivanov