Traktor - SKA

Traktor - SKA - 2:6

5 January 2018

In Chelyabinsk, SKA played the first KHL match of 2018 against HC Traktor. Following recent injuries, head coach Oleg Znarok put defensemen Vyacheslav Voynov and Patrik Hersley back in the line-up. Mikko Koskinen and Vasily Demchenko were the starting goaltenders.

Our players made a fantastic start against Traktor, hitting the target an astounding four times during the opening period. Vadim Shipachyov got the party started, tapping into the net when waiting on the doorstep. In the mood for more, SKA decided to take the opponents apart. Maxim Karpov tipped Yegor Rykov's effort beyond the goaltender, before Sergei Shirokov netted a brilliant shorthanded goal with the backhand. That marker forced Traktor pulling Vasily Demchenko for Pavel Francouz, but it made little difference. Nikita Gusev completed a flowing play on the counterattack, making it 4:0 after the first period.

The one-way traffic continued in the second frame. Patrick Thoresen was the next to find the net, scoring his first goal since rejoining SKA. Nevertheless, Traktor weren't willing to wave the white flag. Paul Szczechura got the hosts on the board, beating Mikko Koskinen at point blank range on a Traktor powerplay.

If there was any doubt about the match's outcome, SKA soon put the contest to bed. Patrick Thoresen grabbed his second of the game, increasing the advantage to 6:1. Igor Polygalov did get a consolation on a second Traktor powerplay, but Mikko Koskinen made some important late saves to see SKA through to a commanding 6:2 victory against Traktor Chelyabinsk!

Match protocol:

Traktor - SKA - 2:6 (0:4, 1:1, 1:1)

Goals:

0:1 Shipachyov (Plotnikov, Gusev), 03.33

0:2 Karpov (Zub, Rykov), 04.25

0:3 Shirokov (Kalinin, Hersley), 11.39

0:4 Gusev (Khafizullin, Shipachyov), 15.36

0:5 Thoresen (Kovalchuk, Kalinin), 32.40

1:5 Szczechura (Gynge, Bailen), 35.17

1:6 Thoresen (Shirokov, Prokhorkin), 43.26

2:6 Polygalov (Bailen, Nikitin), 44.44

Goalkeepers: Demchenko/Francouz - Koskinen