Novosibirsk – Novokuznetsk 6:1 (end) | SKA St. Petersburg – HC Sochi 3:2 (end)
final
SKA St. Petersburg
3:2 (0:1, 2:0, 1:1)
HC Sochi
Saturday 06.09.2014, 15:00 • Ice Palace of Saint Petersburg • KHL
     
    There is the final buzzer, and in an end to end encounter SKA Saint Petersburg have picked up their second KHL win of the season with a 3:2 triumph over HC Sochi! Andrey Pervyshin put the league's debutants ahead, before Anton Belov and Artemiy Panarin gave the home side the lead. Ilya Krikunov pinned them back, but Anton Belov's second made sure that it was SKA's day. Thanks for following the game with us, and see you again soon for more exciting KHL action! (17:18:10)
     
    60:00
    Game over.
     
    59:51
    It's now the final seconds with SKA heading for a thrilling 3:2 win over the league's newbies HC Sochi!
     
    59:11
    Anton Belov could have had a hat trick for himself, but after some neat moves he hits the covering defender's legs instead of the net! He should have sealed it there!
     
    58:40
    And Tomas Popperle has indeed been pulled for the extra skater, it's all or nothing for the away side now!
     
    58:40
    Alexander Salak cleverly fields a dump from deep into his crease glove side to freeze. And HC Sochi have now taken a timely timeout!
     
    58:05
    The final two minutes are already upon us! HC Sochi are giving it everything they've got though trying to force the issue!
     
    56:31
    Alexander Shevchenko tries to again reply for HC Sochi, but when slightly off balance cutting to the slot along the right his backhander is comfortably punched away by the netminder
     
    55:45
    Just in Anton Belov's celebration you can see how much that goal means to SKA! The energy is flowing through the Saint Petersburg Ice Palace!
     
    53:57
    Goal for SKA! This place is simply bouncing now! Teed up by the left faceoff circle ANTON BELOV first time thumps the puck into the near corner deceiving Tomas Popperle! It's 3:2! Assists- Vadim Shipachyov and Artemiy Panarin
     
    52:40
    Alexey Krutov this time between the circles tries his luck, but Alexander Salak beautifully flashes leather to catch!
     
    51:33
    SKA are back at full strength with the home crowd becoming impatient!
     
    50:44
    Krutov! Igor Ignatushkin to the right of the crease plays a neat feed across, but Alexey Krutov far post with the goal gaping just can't make contact! What an opening that was!
     
    49:33
    HC Sochi are noticeably growing in confidence and they've earnt a powerplay for themselves, Artemiy Panarin of SKA for tripping is the guilty party
     
    47:40
    SKA need to find their game again soon, they have bossed proceedings more as the match has worn on but won't like the score right now!
     
    46:02
    Panarin! You just have to put away such opportunities! Breaking away one on one cutting to the middle Artemiy Panarin can't find the target with the backhand!
     
    44:46
    Goal for HC Sochi! That wasn't in the script! Just as SKA were looking tighter defensively ILYA KRIKUNOV is allowed to twist all around the net to the right hand post, and he catches out the netminder with a high effort! It's 2:2! Assists- Alexey Krutov
     
    42:05
    SKA apart from that one HC Sochi opportunity didn't let their opponents create anything and they're back at full strength
     
    41:49
    Alexander Salak loses his bearings completely as Nikita Schitov's testing wrister rebounds off the boards and all the way to his left hand post, and he's lucky than no one from Sochi could get to the puck in time!
     
    40:05
    As soon as the third and deciding stanza has got underway SKA have picked up a rather silly penalty! Ilya Kovalchuk for roughing has been penalised!
     
    40:01
    Start of 3rd period.
     
    Statistics after the first two periods of play:

    Shots: 46-29
    Shots on target: 31-19
    Faceoffs: 27-17
    Hits: 26-26
    Penalty minutes: 8-10
     
    40:00
    2nd period finished.
     
    39:37
    Offside is committed by the Saint Petersburgers as a fast and furious second stanza is coming to its close!
     
    38:33
    Panarin! Artemiy Panarin capitalises on a HC Sochi defensive mix up, wrists in just past the right faceoff circle but Tomas Popperle is right behind it! The chances are coming thick and fast!
     
    38:06
    The hosts are back at full strength having looked extremely solid on that penalty kill not giving their opponents any chances at all!
     
    36:06
    SKA slightly kill their own momentum here though as Evgeniy Dadonov has been sent to have a sit down for two minutes for hooking
     
    34:01
    Ketov! It could have already been three! With Tomas Popperle slightly out of position as the puck is squeezed across from the right Evgeniy Ketov has an half empty net to aim at, but the netminder gets back brilliantly to deny him!
     
    33:00
    Goal for SKA! The Ice Palace in Saint Petersburg is going mad! SKA are really in their groove now as Evgeniy Dadonov cuts to the net sharply from the right, and as the puck rolls loose ARTEMIY PANARIN slides it past the netminder! Powerplay goal and it's 2:1! Assists- Evgeniy Dadonov and Vadim Shipachyov
     
    32:41
    Icing is committed by SKA as they can't get set up in the zone as yet, but they are only upping the intensity even more!
     
    31:18
    HC Sochi are going to come under real pressure! And they've been forced into giving away a cheap penalty, Pavel Koledov for high sticking has been punished
     
    30:13
    Goal for SKA! You can't say that they don't deserve it! It's a two on one down the left flank, ANTON BELOV cuts in by himself and finds the back of the net! It's 1:1! Assists- Patrick Thoresen and Tony Martensson
     
    27:43
    Alexander Salak has to make an alert dive on the puck as it rolls towards him off a faceoff draw on the right. HC Sochi are making him work despite all of SKA's pressure!
     
    25:51
    Krikunov! What a chance to double HC Sochi's lead! The puck gets deflected to Ilya Krikunov on the slot all alone, he twists, Alexander Salak is already down but he can't lift it over the netminder's blocker! He should surely have scored there!
     
    24:27
    Thoresen! SKA are working the puck well and creating chance after chance again! Moments after his wraparound by the right post was stoned Patrick Thoresen fires into Tomas Popperle's midriff from the doorstep! And HC Sochi are back at full strength having just about survived there
     
    22:27
    SKA are now themselves going on the powerplay, as for slashing Yury Pautov of HC Sochi has been handed a two minute minor
     
    21:26
    The visitors couldn't create anything though and their opponents are back at full strength
     
    20:10
    Here we go in the second stanza! And remember that HC Sochi are on the powerplay for a further 01:26 with Igor Makarov in the penalty box for SKA
     
    20:01
    Start of 2nd period.
     
    Statistics after the opening period of play:

    Shots: 20-9
    Shots on target: 11-7
    Faceoffs: 13-9
    Hits: 14-15
    Penalty minutes: 6-6
     
    20:00
    1st period finished.
     
    19:53
    Andrey Pervyshin just past the blue line this time goes for a wrister, but there's isn't any traffic and the netminder catches comfortably
     
    19:26
    Just under 30 seconds before the period is out SKA have picked up a penalty as Igor Makarov has been called for slashing, meaning that HC Sochi will most probably start the second stanza with a man's advantage
     
    18:29
    Koledov! On an incisive Sochi counterattack Pavel Koledov is set up on the right faceoff circle, but Alexander Salak makes an excellent sprawling save to deny him!
     
    17:51
    Cervenka! As the puck drops to him at the high slot Roman Cervenka winds up for a very heavy slapshot, but it's directly down Tomas Popperle's throat who clings on!
     
    17:02
    Offside is committed by HC Sochi as both teams are playing in a very aggressive manner! There are very few stoppages at all!
     
    14:18
    Ilya Krikunov goes on raid down the right wing for the visitors, wrists looking for near corner but it's comfortable for Alexander Salak to sweep up into his glove
     
    12:37
    HC Sochi drift offside as they look to keep the puck well away from their own zone
     
    12:07
    It's a five on five hockey game again with SKA's final pass just letting them down so far today!
     
    11:20
    Roman Cervenka with a clever play almost lets in Anton Belov speeding in down the left flank, but the puck is deflected away from the defenceman at the crucial moment!
     
    10:07
    HC Sochi don't really want to be picking up too many penalties but so far they can't keep our of the box, for tripping Andre Petersson has been called
     
    08:01
    Ilya Kovalchuk and then Viktor Tikhonov miss the target when completely open on the doorstep! The pace of the game is lightning quick already with the puck flying everywhere!
     
    06:43
    The visitors have weathered that particular storm and they're back at full strength
     
    06:13
    Panarin! SKA are now creating real openings! Artemiy Panarin on the left is all on his own, but his high effort is fired high of the right hand post! The netminder would have struggled with that one!
     
    05:29
    Kovalchuk! Ilya Kovalchuk is teed up at the right faceoff circle, but his seriously powerful slapshot flies only inches wide of the far post!
     
    04:43
    HC Sochi have now killed their momentum as they're picked up their second penalty of the game, Igor Ignatushkin for slashing has given the hosts a well needed powerplay
     
    04:04
    Both sides are back at full strength again That really isn't the start that SKA wanted, and they will have to work hard to start creating chances!
     
    02:12
    Goal for HC Sochi! It's an historic moment as HC Sochi score their first every goal in their competitive history! ANDREY PERVYSHIN lets rip from the blue line, and his monstrous slapper flies high into the net! It's 0:1! Assists- Mark Olver and Pavel Koledov
     
    02:04
    The penalties are coming thick and fast immediately here! Now Tony Martensson of SKA has been handed a two minute minor by the referees for high sticking
     
    01:16
    That HC Sochi powerplay didn't last for very long at all though, as Ilya Krikunov for unsportsmanlike behaviour has been penalised
     
    00:57
    Seconds after Ilya Kovalchuk almost scored right on the doorstep SKA have committed a very early foul! Dinar Khafizullin for slashing has been sent to the penalty box!
     
    00:10
    Here we go inside the Ice Palace! And it is indeed a sellout here in Saint Petersburg!
     
    00:01
    Game started.
     
    The teams are now out on to the ice, and after the national anthem of the Russian Federation we'll be getting underway!
     
    Starting lineups:

    SKA St. Petersburg: Salak (Shestyorkin)- Kalinin, Khafizullin, Kovalchuk, Ericsson, Tikhonov- Y Alexandrov, Ryasensky, Panarin, Shipachyov, Dadonov- Chudinov, Belov, Thoresen, Martensson, Cervenka- Ermakov, Yudin, Makarov, Kucheryavenko, Ketov

    HC Sochi: Popperle (Gavrilov)- Koledov, Pervyshin, Shevchenko, Olver, Anisin- Jarvinen, Pautov, Petersson, Emmerton, Warn- Wilson, Schitov, Krikunov, Ignatushkin, Krutov- Petrov, Plekhanov, Demkov, Lebedev, Shcherbina

    Referees: Alexey Anisimov, Vyacheslav Bulanov, Alexey Maytak, Evgeniy Pronskikh.
     
    While of course Sochi have never been in the KHL before, they are playing against the forever league favourites SKA. Last season didn't end of a good note however, as they were knocked out in the Western Conference semi finals.
     
    This is SKA's second game of the season, after they got the better of Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in a 5:3 thriller two days ago. For HC Sochi this is their first competitive game ever though, after they were formed just earlier this year. Fans in Sochi have waited a long time for the city to finally have an hockey team to cheer for!
     
    Good afternoon and welcome to this KHL regular season match between SKA Saint Petersburg and HC Sochi! The hosts may be favourites today, but it is an historic day for HC Sochi!
     
    Welcome. Game starts at 15:00.
    Commentary by

    Shaun Nicolaides

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 31. Belov (Thoresen, Martensson), 33. Panarin (Dadonov, Shipachyov), 54. Belov (Shipachyov, Panarin) – 3. Pervyshin (Olver, Koledov), 45. Krikunov (Krutov)

    SKA St. Petersburg: Salak (Shestyorkin)- Kalinin, Khafizullin, Kovalchuk, Ericsson, Tikhonov- Y Alexandrov, Ryasensky, Panarin, Shipachyov, Dadonov- Chudinov, Belov, Thoresen, Martensson, Cervenka- Ermakov, Yudin, Makarov, Kucheryavenko, Ketov
    HC Sochi: Popperle (Gavrilov)- Koledov, Pervyshin, Shevchenko, Olver, Anisin- Jarvinen, Pautov, Petersson, Emmerton, Warn- Wilson, Schitov, Krikunov, Ignatushkin, Krutov- Petrov, Plekhanov, Demkov, Lebedev, Shcherbina
    Referees: Alexey Anisimov, Vyacheslav Bulanov, Alexey Maytak, Evgeniy Pronskikh
    Attendance: 11048