Game three. CSKA - SKA

Game three. CSKA - SKA - 2:5

2 April 2018

In Moscow, game three between HC CSKA Moscow and SKA in the 2017/2018 KHL Gagarin Cup playoffs third round took place with the series score at 1:1. Head coach Oleg Znarok made one change, replacing Sergei Kalinin with Sergei Shirokov. Mikko Koskinen and Ilya Sorokin were the starting goaltenders.

Both teams made a strong start in the Russian capital, with SKA applying the majority of the pressure inside the CSKA zone. Eventually, our players managed to break the deadlock after 16 minutes of play. A wonderful Vladislav Gavrikov pass found the open Patrick Thoresen, who wristed under Ilya Sorokin's blocker. However, CSKA grabbed an instant response. Kirill Petrov pounced upon a loose puck on the crease, beating the stranded Mikko Koskinen.

That goal came as a nasty shock, but SKA required just 68 seconds to retake the lead. Jarno Koskiranta scored his second in as many games against the Moscow outfit, lashing a powerful wrister in from between the circles.

SKA came flying out of the blocks in the second stanza, scoring twice within three minutes. Patrik Hersley blasted a searing drive past Ilya Sorokin, before Nikita Gusev hit the jackpot with the backhand when clean through. CSKA opted to make a goalkeeping change after the fourth marker, swapping Ilya Sorokin for Swede Lars Johansson.

Unfortunately, the hosts gave themselves a lifeline towards the end of the second period. Mikhail Grigorenko found himself 1 on 1 with Mikko Koskinen, shooting powerfully into the left corner.

With the game on a knife's edge, SKA naturally opted for a more defensive approach in the third period. Our players protected Mikko Koskinen with confidence, barely giving CSKA a sniff. The home team pulled Lars Johansson for the extra skater in the final minute, but that only resulted in Alexander Barabanov in grabbing a goal. 5:2, SKA win game three against CSKA Moscow and move 2:1 ahead in the KHL Gagarin Cup playoffs third round series!

Match protocol:

CSKA - SKA - 2:5 (1:2, 1:2, 0:1)

Goals:

0:1 Thoresen (Gavrikov, Shipachyov), 16.04

1:1 Petrov (Andronov, Nichushkin), 17.58

1:2 Koskiranta (Shirokov, Barabanov), 19.06

1:3 Hersley, 21.16

1:4 Gusev (Plotnikov), 23.37

2:4 Grigorenko (Kaprizov), 32.28

2:5 Barabanov, 57.44

Goalkeepers: Sorokin/Johansson - Koskinen

Shots on target: 29 - 34