Game six. CSKA - SKA

Game six. CSKA - SKA - 3:2 OT

8 April 2018

In Moscow, HC CSKA and SKA took part in game six of the KHL Gagarin Cup playoffs third round series. Coming into this game 2:3 down, our players had no other option than to leave everything on the ice and attempt to take the series back to Saint Petersburg. Mikko Koskinen and Ilya Sorokin were the starting goaltenders.

Amazingly, SKA made the early breakthrough inside two minutes. Nikita Gusev skated down the right wing, took aim, and his weak wrist shot caught Ilya Sorokin cold near post. In the mood for more, our players promptly doubled the advantage, as Ilya Kovalchuk went top shelf with a perfect attempt. Predictably, CSKA opted to make a goaltending change after the second goal, replacing the forlorn Ilya Sorokin with Swede Lars Johansson. Mikko Koskinen was rarely called into action at the other end, calmly saving the ten shots which he faced in the first period.

In control of proceedings, our team continued playing on the front foot and created a number of opportunities to score more goals. Ilya Kovalchuk and Alexander Barabanov had the best chances, failing to hit the target on the slot with the CSKA defence nowhere to be seen. However, midway through the second period, CSKA Moscow halved SKA’s advantage. Nikita Nesterov reached a searching pass, tipping into the net at point blank range. SKA goalkeeper Mikko Koskinen was a busy man as the frame drew to a close, with the hosts forcing the issue with intensity.

SKA managed to slow the pace in the third period, keeping CSKA Moscow on the outside. Our players even had the majority of chances in the attacking zone, outshooting CSKA 10-4 in the third frame. Andrei Zubarev smacked the right post when powering on the left wing, before Alexander Barabanov’s goalbound attempt was swept off the line. Unfortunately, SKA were made to pay for those misses. In the final stages, Mikhail Grigorenko smashed a shot past Mikko Koskinen on the slot and sent the match to overtime.

Sadly, Mikhail Grigorenko scored on the slot in overtime, earning a 3:2 win for CSKA Moscow and a 4:2 series triumph overall. SKA’s 2017/2018 KHL campaign is over.

Match protocol:

CSKA – SKA – 3:2 OT (0:2, 1:0, 1:0, 1:0)

Goals:

0:1 Gusev, 01.33

0:2 Kovalchuk (Hersley, Gavrikov), 04.09

1:2 Nesterov (Shumakov, Shalunov), 35.19

2:2 Grigorenko (Popov), 56.23

3:2 Grigorenko (Popov, Petrov), 69.35

Goalkeepers: Sorokin/Johansson – Koskinen

Shots on target: 32 – 35

Faceoffs: 25 – 40

Hits: 28 – 20