SKA - Torpedo - 4:3

Despite trailing by two with only 15 minutes remaining, SKA weren’t to be denied against Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, powering back to defeat the visitors 4:3 at the SKA Arena in the 2023/2024 KHL regular season.

Andrei Pedan initially opened the scoring for SKA in the first period with a strong effort through traffic.

However, Torpedo took a grip of the game in the latter stages of the second, netting two PP goals in quick succession through Nikolai Kovalenko and Denis Yan.

Yan then subsequently pounced on a sloppy defensive error from SKA to increase Torpedo’s advantage to two in the second minute of the third stanza. The SKA coaching staff took the decision to replace 19-year-old Pavel Moisevich with experienced Swedish goaltender Johan Mattsson following the third Torpedo goal.

That call proved a turning point.

Two excellent goals from Nikolai Polyakov and Marat Khairullin within 60 seconds of each other hauled SKA back on level terms. Boasting the momentum, SKA continued applying huge pressure on the shaky Torpedo defence which duly buckled in the 51st minute.

When taking aim from distance, former Torpedo defenseman Maxim Fedotov left Adam Huska clutching thin air to complete the dramatic comeback.

SKA will now prepare to host Severstal Cherepovets in Saint Petersburg on Tuesday. Puck-drop is scheduled for 19:30 local time.

Match protocol:

SKA - Torpedo - 4:3 (1:0, 0:2, 3:1)

Goals:

1:0 Pedan (Falkovsky, Glotov), 10.47

1:1 Kovalenko (Goncharuk, Kruchinin), 35.46 PPG

1:2 Lynch (Yan, Firstov), 38.35 PPG

1:3 Yan, 41.20

2:3 Polyakov (Rendulic, Vorobyov), 45.51

3:3 Khairullin (Zykov), 46.40

4:3 M. Fedotov (Polyakov, Sapego), 50.58

Goalkeepers: Moisevich/Mattsson - Huska

Shots: 59 - 48

Shots on target: 36 - 25

Faceoffs: 30 - 19

Blocked shots: 9 - 12

Hits: 14 - 9

Penalty minutes: 12 - 2

Referees: Birin, Sergeev

Linesmen: Sadovnikov, Slavikovsky

18.02.2024.