SKA – Spartak

SKA – Spartak – 0:3

12 September 2023

Producing an underwhelming performance, SKA conceded a resounding 0:3 defeat to Spartak Moscow at the Ice Palace in the home opener of the 2023/2024 KHL regular season.

SKA were very lucky not to find themselves behind in the first period.

The visitors came flying out of the blocks. Their first line consisting of Nikolai Goldobin, Ivan Morozov and Pavel Poryadin was dominant on the ice, tearing the SKA defence apart time and time again. On several occasions, Poryadin really should have opened the scoring when taking aim from point-blank range, but impressive SKA goalkeeper Johan Mattsson had other ideas and pulled off a series of superb saves.

Mattsson also did excellently to shut the door on Semyon Ruchkin from the doorstep. The fact that the 31-year-old Swede made 12 saves in the first period in comparison to opposite number Patrik Rybar’s two tells you everything you need to know about how the frame unfolded.

SKA simply couldn’t cope with Spartak’s sharp pace and movement. Unfortunately, not much changed in the second stanza either, with the away side continuing to boss proceedings.

Their dominance eventually resulted in their first goal midway through the period.

On the doorstep, Andrei Loktionov won the battle to knock the loose puck in with Mattsson already down and out for SKA.

Not long later, SKA were gifted a golden opportunity to get back on level terms. However, even when competing on a 5-on-3 powerplay, our team failed to generate any kind of attacking traction. Alexander Nikishin was the only player to come close, as he thumped two huge one-timers wide of the mark.

Our poor showing on that particular powerplay was promptly punished by Spartak after they had been presented with a PP of their own following a cheap slashing foul committed by Mikhail Vorobyov.

When picking his spot from the left wing, former SKA forward Morozov sent an unstoppable rising wrister high into the right corner.

To their credit, SKA did produce a reaction for the third period.

Unlike the first two periods, the hosts suddenly took the match by the scruff of the neck, taking aim from any angle possible and successfully protecting the puck inside the attacking zone. Marat Khairullin, the lively Alexander Nikishin, Arseniy Gritsyuk and Sergei Sapego all had guilt-edged chances from inviting positions, but Rybar refused to be beaten.

Sapego was particularly wasteful, wristing into the goaltender’s chest when 1-on-1.

In the closing stages, SKA pulled Mattsson for the extra skater, but Spartak held firm and iced it with a last-gasp empty-netter from Ansel Galimov.

SKA will now prepare to host Dynamo Moscow in Saint Petersburg on Friday. Puck-drop is scheduled for 19:00 local time.

Match protocol:

SKA – Spartak – 0:3 (0:0, 0:2, 0:1)

Goals:

0:1 Loktionov (Savikov, Talaluev), 30.37

0:2 Morozov (Vishnevsky), 36.39 PPG

0:3 Galimov (Burmistrov, Prince), 59.59 EN

Goalkeepers: Mattsson – Rybar

Shots: 66 – 67

Shots on target: 39 – 35