Game two. SKA - CSKA - 2:0

Game two between SKA and HC CSKA Moscow in the 2017/2018 KHL Gagarin Cup playoffs third round took place in Saint Petersburg. Head coach Oleg Znarok made a number of changes, bringing Patrik Hersley, Yegor Yakovlev, Patrick Thoresen and Vadim Shipachyov into the line-up in place of Andrei Zubarev, Anton Belov, Nikolai Prokhorkin and Sergei Shirokov. Mikko Koskinen and Ilya Sorokin were the starting goaltenders.

Both teams made a cautious start to proceedings, with barely any goalscoring chances witnessed at the Ice Palace. The goalkeepers only made a combined 16 saves in the opening frame, as the clubs opted for a more careful approach. Nikita Gusev was the most dangerous player on the ice, testing Ilya Sorokin with two attempts when in promising positions.

The action burst into life just 40 seconds into the second period. Kirill Kaprizov cheaply gifted Vadim Shipachyov the puck, the latter picked out the open Nikita Gusev, and the latter beat the goalkeeper with a stinging one timer - 1:0. In the box seat, SKA doubled the advantage midway through the frame. Jarno Koskiranta received a superb pass from Sergei Kalinin, sliding his backhand between Ilya Sorokin's pads. 2:0 after 40 minutes.

Predictably, SKA sat back in the third period, inviting CSKA to increase the intensity and put the pressure on. However, the visitors never really threatened to make a comeback, only registering ten shots on target. Mikko Koskinen calmly kept his shutout intact, steering SKA to a hugely important 2:0 victory! The series now moves to Moscow level at 1:1.

Match protocol:

SKA - CSKA - 2:0 (0:0, 1:0, 1:0)

Goals:

1:0 Gusev (Shipachyov), 20.40

2:0 Koskiranta (Kalinin, Kablukov), 30.09

Goalkeepers: Koskinen - Sorokin

Shots on target: 25 - 25

Faceoffs: 31 - 24

Hits: 32 - 15

Penalty minutes: 12 - 14

Referees: Jerabek, Ravodin

31.03.2018. Saint Petersburg.