2022 Nikolai Puchkov Tournament. SKA – Severstal

2022 Nikolai Puchkov Tournament. SKA – Severstal – 4:1

23 August 2022

In the first match of the 2022 Nikolai Puchkov Tournament, SKA produced a strong performance against Severstal Cherepovets in Saint Petersburg, emerging victorious by a confident score of 4:1.

Severstal initially made the breakthrough with their maiden shot on target of the evening in the second minute.

When powering to the crease from deep, Nikita Guslistov decided to take aim, and his rasping wrister was too hot for Alexander Samonov to handle in our net.

The visitors subsequently gained momentum with three consecutive powerplays. However, despite having a few good looks at the SKA goal, they barely tested Samonov and couldn’t generate many scoring opportunities.

SKA got back on level terms with a little over five minutes remaining in the first period.

Not long after Mikhail Vorobyov had struck the crossbar, Marat Khairullin scored SKA’s first home goal of the summer with a clinical finish from the doorstep.

On the front foot following the equaliser, SKA began to apply pressure on Severstal for the first time in the game, forcing Vladislav Podyapolsky into a series of tricky saves in the away goal.

The second stanza saw SKA completely dominate proceedings.

With eight minutes left in the frame, our team took a well-deserved lead following a long spell of pressure, as Valentin Zykov’s sneaky pass from behind the net on the powerplay was inadvertently deflected in by a Severstal skate.

The Cherepovets-based outfit well and truly lost their discipline throughout the remainder of the period, constantly committing fouls as they simply couldn’t cope with SKA’s incessant pressure.

Marat Khusnutdinov doubled SKA’s money on the powerplay with a pinpoint wrist shot into the far corner from the left wing. Before the stanza was out, Khairullin tallied his second of the game to register the fourth for SKA, connecting with Khusnutdinov’s intelligent pass to score from point-blank range a split-second after Severstal had returned to full strength.

Predictably, Severstal threw everything at SKA during the ensuing third period.

Requiring goals, the away side pressed with serious intensity, shooting from any angle possible and protecting the puck deep inside our zone. Thankfully, though, Samonov was in impressive form in our net, saving all 11 shots he faced in the frame.

Dmitrij Jaskin almost grabbed a fifth goal for the home team, hitting the bar on a rare counter-attack.

Despite SKA’s victory, an overtime period and a penalty shootout took place after the final buzzer had sounded in accordance with competition regulations.

SKA weren’t to be denied there either, as Maxim Groshev hit the jackpot in the extra frame before Dmitry Buchelnikov and Alex Grant netted in the shootout. 18-year-old goalkeeper Sergei Ivanov was on his game in the shootout for SKA, not giving up a single goal.

Tomorrow, at 19:30 local time, SKA will host Sibir Novosibirsk at the Ice Palace.

Match protocol:

SKA – Severstal – 4:1 (1:1, 3:0, 0:0)

Goals:

0:1 Guslistov (Geraskin, Khabarov), 01.39

1:1 Khairullin (Ozhiganov, Khusnutdinov), 14.26

2:1 Zykov (Khairullin, Ozhiganov), 32.01 PPG

3:1 Khusnutdinov (Zhafyarov, Ozhiganov), 34.23 PPG

4:1 Khairullin (Khusnutdinov, Zhafyarov), 38.26

Goalkeepers: Samonov – Podyapolsky

Shots: 60 - 48

Shots on target: 36 - 22