Three first-period goals power SKA past Torpedo!

21 November 2024

A first-period blitz was enough for SKA to cope with the stern challenge provided by a quick Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod team, emerging victorious by a score of 4:1 at the Ice Palace in the 2024/2025 KHL regular season.

Even though they were on the back foot for the majority of the opening stanza, our players managed to open up a commanding three-goal lead.

Interestingly, all three of our goals were scored in almost identical fashion on the counter-attack. Sergei Tolchinsky was the first to get the better of Ivan Kulbakov in the Torpedo net, firmly whipping his instant attempt into the right corner.

Sergei Plotnikov doubled our advantage four minutes later on the powerplay when presented with too much time and space at the high slot. Despite the score, Torpedo were actually creating clear opportunities with alarming regularity, but they contrived to concede a third on the break-away with Mikhail Grigorenko giving Kulbakov no chance.

Bobby Lynch should have got Torpedo on the board in the concluding minute of a highly eventful first period, but he whacked wide of the mark with Pavel Moisevich already out of the picture. Moisevich had pulled off particularly impressive saves against Mikhail Abramov, Vladislav Firstov and Evgeny Svechnikov.

Torpedo did eventually hit the jackpot in the fourth minute of the second stanza after swapping the forlorn Kulbakov for Ivan Bocharov in the break.

Familiar face Vyacheslav Voynov was the scorer, bundling the loose puck over the line at point-blank range.

The fired-up away side were in charge and began to force the issue with increasing urgency. We had Moisevich to thank for keeping us ahead, with the giant 20-year-old Belarusian making top saves with admittedly little help in front of him.

Nevertheless, SKA did manage to gradually calm the game down as the period progressed, and Vladimir Alistrov twice saw his rising wrist shots turned aside by Bocharov.

Predictably, Torpedo threw everything at SKA in the third period with their backs against the wall.

But, to our delight, Moisevich wasn’t in the mood for allowing Torpedo a way back into the game. Following a defensive mix-up from SKA, Kirill Voronin was through 1-on-1 and looked certain to score, however Moisevich came to the rescue with a stunning double left-pad save.

To their credit, our players did see the last knockings of the stanza out in a calm, professional manner, and Marat Khairullin iced it with an empty-netter after Bocharov had been swapped for the extra skater with over three minutes left on the clock.

SKA will now prepare to face Admiral in Vladivostok next Thursday. Puck-drop is scheduled for 12:00 Moscow time.

Match protocol:

SKA – Torpedo – 4:1 (3:0, 0:1, 1:0)

Goals:

1:0 Tolchinsky (Alistrov, Glotov), 04.53

2:0 Plotnikov (DeAngelo, Grigorenko), 09.09 PPG

3:0 Grigorenko (DeAngelo, Plotnikov), 14.57

3:1 Voynov (Kagarlitsky, Letunov), 23.00

4:1 Khairullin, 56.55 EN

Goalkeepers: Moisevich – Kulbakov/Bocharov

Shots: 53 – 82

Shots on target: 38 – 44