SKA leave it late to defeat Sochi!

27 December 2024

SKA rounded off 2024 with a dramatic victory against Sochi on the road, scoring three times late on to claim a hard-fought 5:4 win.

Sochi were up by two with only eight minutes remaining, but our players came roaring back to make sure that they ended the calendar year on a positive note.

Sergei Popov initially opened the scoring for Sochi in the first period, but Zakhar Bardakov and Mikhail Grigorenko quickly responded. However, before the frantic frame was over, William Bitten equalised for the home side.

Sochi then once again pulled out in front through Timur Khafizov in the 31st minute, before Artemiy Kuznetsov doubled their money in the seventh minute of the third period.

Nevertheless, SKA weren't to be denied a victory in the concluding KHL match of 2024, with the in-form Ivan Demidov, Alexander Nikishin and Arseniy Gritsyuk all hitting the jackpot in the latter stages.

SKA will now prepare to host CSKA Moscow in Saint Petersburg on 3 January. Puck-drop is scheduled for 17:00 local time.

Match protocol:

Sochi - SKA - 4:5 (2:2, 1:0, 1:3)

Goals:

1:0 Popov (Khokhlachyov, Tyanulin), 06.31

1:1 Bardakov (Plotnikov, Sapego), 07.45

1:2 Grigorenko (I. Demidov, Plotnikov), 12.43 PPG

2:2 Bitten (Popov), 18.13

3:2 Khafizov (Machulin), 30.51

4:2 Kuznetsov (Yaremchuk), 46.40

4:3 I. Demidov (Plotnikov), 52.40

4:4 Nikishin (Tolchinsky, I. Demidov), 55.43