CSKA – SKA

CSKA – SKA – 3:1

28 December 2022

Thanks to avoidable mistakes in the third period, SKA came up short against CSKA in Moscow, conceding a 1:3 defeat in the 2022/2023 KHL regular season.

SKA competed with the initiative throughout the opening frame.

A series of promising chances were wasted on two powerplays. With our team putting neat passing plays together, Nikita Gusev and Marat Khairullin were presented with clear openings, but CSKA goaltender Adam Reideborn reacted in time to keep those particular attempts out.

CSKA were mainly waiting for mistakes from SKA. To their credit, the hosts did force our players to commit turnovers with their intense pressing, and Vladislav Podyapolsky pulled off wonderful saves to deny Maxim Mamin and Mikhail Grigorenko. Clean through, Vladimir Bryukvin did manage to get the better of our goalkeeper, but the crossbar came to our rescue.

SKA made the breakthrough in the seventh minute of the second stanza.

Standing on the doorstep, Marat Khusnutdinov deftly tipped Nikita Kamalov’s wrister beyond Reideborn.

Naturally, CSKA reacted to that goal. As the period progressed, the Muscovites gradually increased their intensity, trapping the puck inside our zone and shooting on goal at any given opportunity. Podyapolsky’s most memorable save of the frame was witnessed early on, as he got across to his left post in time to field Grigorenko’s one-timer.

A poor defensive error allowed CSKA to draw level at the start of the third period.

In a seemingly harmless situation, Georgy Solyannikov contrived to cough up the puck, and his error was punished to the maximum by Konstantin Okulov to the left of the slot.

Buoyed by that goal, CSKA immediately started competing firmly on the front foot and went on to take their maiden lead of the evening in the 49^th minute.

On the left wing, Okulov decided to chuck the puck towards goal in hope rather than expectation, but a wicked ricochet off Andrei Pedan’s back redirected his initially wayward attempt past Podyapolsky and into the right corner.

Hit by those two quickfire goals, SKA needed to conjure up a response. Alone on the doorstep, Alexander Nikishin had our best chance of the period, as he knocked the puck wide of the mark after having managed to escape his marker.

Unfortunately, our players shot themselves in the foot with a little over two minutes remaining.

In the opposing zone, Kamalov clumsily lost possession, CSKA were consequently presented with a 2-on-1 counter-attack, and Maxim Sorkin bundled the puck in with Podyapolsky already helpless.

In the concluding shifts, SKA predictably pulled Podyapolsky for the extra skater, but CSKA managed to hold on.

SKA will now prepare to face Vityaz Moscow Region in Balashikha on Friday. Puck-drop is scheduled for 19:00 local time.

Match protocol:

CSKA – SKA – 3:1 (0:0, 0:1, 3:0)

Goals:

0:1 Khusnutdinov (Kamalov, Gusev), 27.37

1:1 Okulov (Kamenev, Plotnikov), 42.55

2:1 Okulov (Kamenev, Plotnikov), 48.40

3:1 Sorkin (Bryukvin), 57.39

Goalkeepers: Reideborn – Podyapolsky

Shots: 63 – 52

Shots on target: 28 – 36