Spartak – SKA

Spartak – SKA – 3:2

6 November 2023

In a thrilling battle, SKA couldn’t hold on for overtime against Spartak in Moscow, conceding with one second remaining to consequently suffer a gutting 2:3 defeat away in the 2023/2024 KHL regular season.

A highly eventful first period saw the two teams focus on attack and trade a pair of goals.

Marat Khairullin bundled the puck in during an almighty goalmouth scramble in the eighth minute, before Pavel Poryadin equalised for Spartak four minutes later when sending a one-timer beyond the helpless Nikita Serebryakov while competing on a 5-on-3 powerplay. A controversial call to punish Serebryakov for knocking the net off its moorings had allowed Spartak to play on that two-man advantage.

Serebryakov had pulled off a couple of highlight-reel saves in the opening frame. On one occasion, when it seemed impossible for Spartak to miss, the 28-year-old lifted up his right leg in time to keep the puck out in acrobatic fashion.

Spartak went on to dominate the entirety of the second stanza.

A flurry of somewhat questionable penalties signalled against SKA certainly helped Spartak to compete on the front foot.

Under serious pressure, Serebryakov was making several wonderful saves to keep Spartak off the board, in particular preventing the Muscovites from converting numerous odd-man rushes. One of his best stops saw our goalkeeper stick out the left pad against former SKA forward and 2022 MHL Kharlamov Cup champion Maxim Krovyakov.

SKA made a positive start to the third period, quickly taking the lead for the second time in the game as Alexander Kadeikin pounced on the rebound after the initial shot from distance had struck the right post.

Our players bossed the first half of the stanza. Approaching the slot from the left on the powerplay, Vladimir Alistrov had the goal in his sights, but he could only lift his rising wrist shot against the near post with Rybar panicking.

Zakhar Bardakov then couldn’t unleash a clean shot when skating through 1-on-1.

Not long later, Spartak grabbed their equaliser against the run of play with their first major chance of the period, with Poryadin whipping his effort past Serebryakov into the far corner.

Overtime was on its way. However, with one second remaining after SKA had iced the puck, Spartak stole the win.

Unmarked on the left wing, Alexander Belyaev caught Serebryakov cold after Ansel Galimov had won the faceoff draw.

SKA will now prepare to host Traktor Chelyabinsk in Saint Petersburg on Thursday. Puck-drop is scheduled for 19:30 local time.

Match protocol:

Spartak – SKA – 3:2 (1:1, 0:0, 2:1)

Goals:

0:1 Khairullin (Vorobyov, Tolchinsky), 07.33

1:1 Poryadin (Goldobin, Cajkovsky), 11.47 PPG

1:2 Kadeikin (Pashnin, Galchenyuk), 44.14

2:2 Poryadin (Goldobin), 50.38

3:2 Belyaev (Galimov), 59.59

Goalkeepers: Rybar – Serebryakov