SKA breeze past Lada with show of strength!

14 September 2025

Producing an impressive attacking display, SKA powered past Lada at the Ice Palace in the 2025/2026 KHL regular season, recording a comfortable 6:1 triumph.

Thanks in large to a lightning-quick start, our players immediately took full control of proceedings and really should have scored more than six against a Tolyatti outfit which struggled terribly in defence.

SKA didn’t hang around in grabbing the bull by the horns.

Two PP markers set the tone, as Valentin Zykov tipped Sergei Sapego’s attempt past Lada goalkeeper Alexander Trushkov – who went on to make a series of wonderful saves for the visitors – before Mikhail Vorobyov tapped Trevor Murphy's intelligent feed home during a 5-on-3.

Hungry for more and creating chances at will, SKA made it three with less than 15 minutes on the clock, with the in-form Nikita Dishkovsky backhanding in after Matvei Korotky had seen his wrister stopped.

It was indeed Dishkovsky’s maiden KHL marker.

To their credit, Lada refused to throw the towel in. Attacking with intent and urgency in the second stanza, Danila Dyadenkin had a PP marker ruled out for offside following a coach’s challenge, but they did eventually get on the board in the 32^nd minute with William Doufour whipping an unstoppable wrist shot over Artemiy Pleshkov’s glove.

Pleshkov was forced into several superb saves in our net as the momentum threatened to drop Lada’s way.

Nevertheless, after successfully weathering the storm, SKA burst into life in the ensuing third period and showed no mercy to the defensively-shaky away team.

Joseph Blandisi registered his first for SKA while competing on the powerplay, twisting on the doorstep and forcing the puck through the flailing Trushkov.

Brennan Menell, a strong performer throughout, deservedly got his name on the scoresheet six minutes later, firing into the right corner when completely unmarked at the high slot. That goal arrived after Murphy had emphatically floored Andrei Chivilyov in a fight which didn't last for long whatsoever.

Man of the moment Dishkovsky fittingly rounded off an enjoyable evening with 11 minutes remaining, pouncing on a defensive mix-up at point-blank range.

Sergei Plotnikov could have added further gloss with a penalty shot in the 57th minute, however his backhanded effort was stopped by Trushkov.

SKA will now prepare to host Dinamo Minsk in Saint Petersburg on Friday. Puck-drop is scheduled for 19:30 local time.

Match protocol:

SKA – Lada – 6:1 (3:0, 0:1, 3:0)

Goals:

1:0 Zykov (Sapego, Khairullin), 05.46 PPG

2:0 Vorobyov (Murphy, Khairullin), 09.23 PPG

3:0 Dishkovsky (Korotky), 14.28

3:1 Doufour (Sawchuk, Rykov), 31.24

4:1 Blandisi (Murphy, Larionov), 41.24 PPG

5:1 Menell (Khairullin, Zykov), 47.09

6:1 Dishkovsky, 48.18