Game three. CSKA – SKA

Game three. CSKA – SKA – 4:0

6 April 2023

In a somewhat underwhelming third match of the 2022/2023 KHL Gagarin Cup semi-finals, SKA came up short against CSKA, losing 0:4 in Moscow.

CSKA consequently now lead the series 2-1.

In keeping with the flow of the series, the teams once again started in a cautious manner.

SKA were the more pro-active side during the opening minutes, creating a couple of promising chances. Nevertheless, as the frame progressed, CSKA started to carve open a handful of opportunities for themselves.

The hosts came closest when competing on the powerplay. After our team had failed to clear the puck in a simple situation, Dmitry Nikolaev was forced into a challenging save, pushing a powerful wrister to safety with his left pad. He had earlier pulled off a tough stop to deny the ever-dangerous Nikita Nesterov from the doorstep.

CSKA made a major improvement in the second stanza, taking the game to our team and refusing to allow our players to successfully clear their lines.

The deadlock was broken in the 24^th minute. While playing 4-on-4, Konstantin Okulov cut to a shooting position at the high slot and whipped a rising wrister beyond the unsighted Nikolaev.

That goal gave CSKA the impulse in the game. In comparison to the first frame, the Muscovites were protecting possession more effectively, keeping the puck inside our zone and not allowing SKA to create counter-attack opportunities.

Our best chance of the frame was created on the powerplay. Lurking on the doorstep, Mikhail Vorobyov tried to give a flowing passing play the finish it deserved, but Reideborn shut the pads in time.

Unlike the visitors, CSKA then subsequently netted on the powerplay.

As usual, familiar face Vladislav Kamenev was the villain of the piece from our point of view, as the former SKA forward tipped a firm one-timer past Nikolaev.

That goal proved decisive.

Despite SKA’s best efforts, barely any realistic scoring chances were witnessed in the ensuing third period, with CSKA preventing our team from spending prolonged periods inside their zone.

The match virtually ended as a contest with around five minutes remaining. Standing on the left faceoff circle, Maxim Sorkin whipped a strong wrist shot into the net with Nikolaev struggling to get across in time. Our goalkeeper had received an injury earlier in the period when being involved in a collision on the slot.

In the closing minutes, Nikolaev was indeed pulled in favour of the extra skater, but that only resulted in Fredrik Claesson hitting the empty net shorthanded.

Game four will take place at the CSKA Arena on Saturday. Puck-drop is scheduled for 17:00 local time.

Match protocol:

CSKA – SKA – 4:0 (0:0, 2:0, 2:0)

Goals:

1:0 Okulov (Dyblenko, Nesterov), 23.58

2:0 Kamenev (Grigorenko, Slepyshev), 39.39 PPG

3:0 Sorkin (Dietz), 54.29 PPG

4:0 Claesson, 59.46 SHG EN

Goalkeepers: Reideborn – Nikolaev

Shots: 47 – 56

Shots on target: 29 – 26

Faceoffs: 27 – 32