Game four. CSKA – SKA

Game four. CSKA – SKA – 1:3

8 April 2023

In the fourth match of the semi-finals of the 2022/2023 KHL Gagarin Cup playoffs, SKA produced a brilliant performance against CSKA in Moscow, holding on to defeat the home team 3:1.

The series is now consequently level at 2-2.

Just like on Thursday, SKA started in a more pro-active manner than CSKA.

Mikhail Pashnin was presented with our best opportunity of the early stages, hitting the left post when in space at the high slot.

CSKA subsequently came close moments later. Unmarked between the faceoff circles, Vladislav Kamenev whipped a firm wrister inches wide of the right post, before Dmitry Nikolaev had serious trouble in pushing Nikita Nesterov’s one-timer over the crossbar.

The main incident of the opening stanza arrived in the penultimate minute. In his own zone, CSKA defenseman Andrei Sergeev committed a horrible kneeing foul against Nikita Kamalov, and he was deservedly chucked out of the game with a 5+20 penalty.

Unfortunately for us, our team contrived to concede not long after returning to full strength.

Once again Konstantin Okulov was the hero for the hosts, pulling to a shooting lane on the left flank and whipping a firm wrister past Nikolaev into the far corner.

Although they weren’t creating a lot of chances for themselves, CSKA were excellent in defence for the majority of the second stanza. Predictably, SKA were trying to apply pressure on their opponents, but the Muscovites were protecting Reideborn effectively by keeping our players at a safe distance.

Nevertheless, we suddenly took the lead with two quickfire goals in the 39^th minute.

Stepan Falkovsky’s unstoppable wrister was followed up with a go-ahead marker from Alexander Volkov, who lashed the loose puck into the right corner with Reideborn out of position after the clean-through Valentin Zykov had struck the bar.

As expected, CSKA tried to apply overwhelming pressure on us in the third period.

However, to our delight, SKA successfully kept the Moscow-based organisation at bay with calm play across the ice. As a result of a handful of wicked ricochets in our zone, Nikolaev was called into action in our net, but the 22-year-old expertly dealt with all 10 shots he faced in the frame.

SKA practically put the match to bed in the 58^th minute, with Zakhar Bardakov carefully sliding his backhander into the left corner when powering clean through on the counter.

In the dying seconds, CSKA did pull Reideborn for the extra skater, but SKA saw the game out with little trouble.

Game five will take place on Monday in Saint Petersburg. Puck-drop is scheduled for 19:30 local time.

Match protocol:

CSKA – SKA – 1:3 (0:0, 1:2, 0:1)

Goals:

1:0 Okulov (Provolnev, Svetlakov), 24.56

1:1 Falkovsky (Glotov, Vorobyov), 38.38

1:2 Volkov, 38.55

1:3 Bardakov, 57.56

Goalkeepers: Reideborn – Nikolaev

Shots: 49 – 53

Shots on target: 21 – 24