SKA - Traktor

SKA - Traktor - 0:3

12 September 2024

The home opener of the 2024/2025 KHL regular season failed to live up to the hype, as SKA conceded a disappointing 0:3 loss to Traktor Chelyabinsk at the Ice Palace.

The sides immediately set an intense tempo during the opening stanza.

SKA registered three more shots on target (13-10), but Traktor managed to create the better opportunities.

Artemiy Pleshkov was forced into a handful of challenging saves, bailing our skaters out following a series of avoidable defensive errors. Towards the end of the frame, Vladimir Zharkov had a clear sight of our net when alone on the left flank, but Pleshkov stuck out his pad in agile fashion.

Arseniy Gritsyuk should have given SKA the advantage when suddenly presented with a 3-on-1 counter, but he decided to shoot instead of passing, and his attempt sailed wide of Zach Fucale’s net.

SKA began to force the issue with more intent in the second period.

Firmly on the front foot, our players were asking questions of the Chelyabinsk back line, but a lack of cohesion and creativity made life slightly too easy for the Ural-based outfit. In the closing knockings of the frame, Mikhail Grigorenko was presented with a glorious opportunity moments after a second powerplay had been wasted, but his backhander was somehow plucked out of the air by Fucale who appeared to be down and out.

Unfortunately, in a match which depended heavily on the first goal, Traktor were the team to break the deadlock.

Capitalising on a sloppy defensive error, Maxim Shabanov calmly thumped the puck past the stricken Pleshkov when completely unchallenged.

That goal put Traktor - who had been solid in defence throughout - in the perfect position. Not long later, the buoyant guests went on to practically end the game as a contest on the break-away, with the impressive Vitaly Kravtsov beating his marker for pure skill and firing into the left corner beyond Pleshkov’s glove.

SKA pulled Pleshkov in favour of the extra skater in the concluding three minutes, but that only resulted in Shabanov grabbing an empty-netter.

Our team will now prepare to host Lada Tolyatti in Saint Petersburg on Sunday. Puck-drop is scheduled for 17:00 local time.

Match protocol:

SKA – Traktor – 0:3 (0:0, 0:0, 0:3)

Goals:

0:1 Shabanov (Kravtsov), 47.49

0:2 Kravtsov (Shabanov), 51.01

0:3 Shabanov (Tkachyov, Fucale), 57.21 EN

Goalkeepers: Pleshkov – Fucale

Shots: 73 – 57

Shots on target: 38 – 33

Faceoffs: 37 – 22