Game two. SKA - Vityaz

Game two. SKA - Vityaz - 7:2

23 February 2017

SKA played HC Vityaz Podolsk for game two of their KHL playoffs first round. Having won the first match 3:1, head coach Oleg Znarok made changes only to the fourth line, bringing in defenseman Roman Rukavishnikov and forward Arkhip Nekolenko. Mikko Koskinen and Igor Saprykin were the starting goaltenders.

In the mood for revenge, Vityaz came flying out of the blocks in Saint Petersburg. The Podolsk outfit, determined to be more aggressive, were causing SKA’s defence problems, calling Mikko Koskinen into regular action. However, as time rolled on, SKA gradually grew into the game. Our team scored with practically their first chance: hanging on the crease, Evgeny Ketov tipped Anton Belov’s thumping shot beyond the goalkeeper. Full of confidence, SKA began to dominate, peppering the Vityaz goal. Eventually, the pressure led up to a second. Vityaz coughed up the puck, Vadim Shipachyov broke clear, fed Evgeny Dadonov and the latter made no mistake. Young forward Arkhip Nekolenko picked up his first KHL point on the play.

Vityaz opted to make a goaltending switch for the second stanza, replacing Igor Saprykin with Finn Harri Sateri. Nevertheless, it didn’t make much difference. Seven minutes in, Evgeny Ketov scored a carbon copy of his first goal, deflecting a slap shot into the net. In complete control, SKA decided on putting the game out of sight. Pavel Datsyuk completed a brilliant passing move to make it four, before Jarno Koskiranta redirected an Anton Belov effort on target for the fifth. The visitors were falling apart, but against the run of play, they did get on the board late on. Maxim Afinogenov burst past our defence, his shot was saved and Artyom Shvets-Rogovoy slammed the rebound home.

SKA got back on track in the third, netting a prompt sixth goal. Patrik Hersley opened up on the right faceoff circle, drew his stick back and unleashed a rocket into the near corner. Vityaz didn’t throw in the towel though, scoring a second marker when Jakub Jerabek netted at point blank range.

Our team still managed to have the last say, as Ilya Kovalchuk ripped a slapper high over the glove on the powerplay. 7:2, SKA make it a 2:0 series lead against Vityaz!

Match protocol:

SKA – Vityaz – 7:2 (2:0, 3:0, 2:1)

Goals:

1:0 Ketov (Yakovlev, Belov), 05.08

2:0 Dadonov (Nekolenko, Shipachyov), 17.59

3:0 Ketov (Khafizullin, Hersley), 27.25

4:0 Datsyuk (Shipachyov, Hersley), 33.27

5:0 Koskiranta (Shirokov, Belov), 36.03

5:1 Shvets-Rogovoy (Afinogenov), 38.08

6:1 Hersley (Gusev, Dadonov), 46.19

6:2 Jerabek (Yatsenko, Chernov), 53.42

7:2 Kovalchuk (Belov), 54.58