PET 1:2 JUG | SKA St. Petersburg - HC Yugra (KHL)

KHL

Admiral – Khabarovsk	4:1 (end)	\|	Novosibirsk – Novokuznetsk	6:5 (end)	\|	Traktor – Ak Bars	2:3 (0:1 after SO)
Metallurg M – Torpedo	4:2 (end)	\|	Salavat Yulaev – Vityaz	3:2 (end)	\|	Neftekhimik – Dynamo	2:4 (end)
Lokomotiv – Barys	4:1 (end)	\|	Cherepovets – Avangard	1:2 (end)	\|	Mytishchi – Avtomobilist	2:3 (end)
SKA St. Petersburg – HC Yugra	1:2 (end)	\|	CSKA – Dinamo Minsk	3:0 (end)	\|	Riga – Donbass	0:1 (end)
HC Slovan – Medvescak	2:3 (end)	\|	Lev – Spartak	2:3 (0:1 after SO)

final

SKA St. Petersburg

1:2 (1:1, 0:1, 0:0)

HC Yugra

Tuesday 04.03.2014, 16:30 • Ice Palace of Saint Petersburg • KHL

		Welcome. Game starts at 16:30.
		Hello everyone and welcome to this KHL regular championship match between SKA Saint Petersburg and Yugra. This is the last match of the regular season and while today won't decide anything for either side, both teams will be wanting to give their fans something to cheer about.
		SKA have already made sure that they cannot finish any lower than in second place of the Western Conference as they are seven points ahead of third placed Lev Prague. Yugra however have no chance at all of making the end of season playoffs sitting in 11th place of the Eastern Conference, and that is where they will finish no matter what happens here today.
		Today's hosts have won four of their past six games and will look to emerge victorious again today to carry through their momentum into the playoffs. Yugra are on a pretty poor run of form having lost their last four in a row.
		The first game between these two teams this season finished with a 5-1 victory for SKA.
		Starting lineups: SKA St. Petersburg: Salak (Ezhov)- Kalinin, Chudinov, Thoresen, Martensson, Cervenka- Alexandrov, Dallman, Kovalchuk, Tikhonov, Makarov- Kuteikin, Semyonov, Panarin, Shipachyov, Ketov- Ponikarovskiy, Kablukov, Sigaryov HC Yugra: Kuznetsov (Kukin)- Putilov, Sokolov, Savinainen, Dixon, Smolenak- Shvidenko, Shefer, Sitnikov, Magogin, Bulyanskiy- Khvostov, Tyulyapkin, Lesnukhin, Yatsenko, Knyazev- Gusev, Tochitsky, Kurchinin- Plotnikov Referees: Gashilov, Kulakov, Putilin, Sazonov.
		The teams have now been presented to the crowd and after the Russian national anthem we will be underway!
	00:01	Game started.
	00:29	Goal for Yugra! What a start from the visitors! VELI MAATI SAVINAINEN breaks through unchallenged on the left flank and beats Alexander Salak at his near post, just 29 seconds in it's 1-0!
	01:32	Evgeniy Ketov has SKA's first chance as he takes aim from the left faceoff circle, but the goalkeeper sweeps it up into his glove
	02:56	Tikhonov! Breaking through hard in Yugra's zone he forces Kunetsov to cover up at the second attempt
	03:26	Semyonov! He one times the puck for a hard slapshot when completely open on the right and Kuznetsov holds on well!
	03:45	Yugra commit icing
	04:41	Andrey Sigaryov just can't get on the end of a dump into the zone before Kuznetsov's glove can. SKA are trying to respond to that early goal quickly
	05:09	SKA's increasing pressure has drawn a penalty, Dmitry Shvidenko for holding has got a two minute minor against his name
	05:20	A high wrister from Patrick Thoresen at the left faceoff circle drifts only inches wide of the far post with Kuznetsov unsighted!
	06:19	SKA hold the puck up in the zone, Artemiy Panarin sends the puck across the slot but no one is there and it comes to nothing
	06:44	Chudinov! He takes the puck in under his stick, waits for a second before blasting it towards the right hand post and it shaves the woodwork!
	07:00	For having too many players on the ice Yugra have been punished and for now it's a five on three powerplay. Nikita Gusev will sit this one out
	07:09	SKA are creating chance after chance as Roman Cervenka is denied by a fantastic save by Kuznetsov glove side up close! And Shvidenko is now back out onto the ice
	09:00	The hosts couldn't take advantage of that extended powerplay and Yugra are back at full strength
	10:40	SKA already have another powerplay opportunity here though, Evgeniy Khvostov for holding has been sent to the penalty box as the penalties start to build up on Yugra
	10:47	And unbelievably it's again a five on three powerplay, Denis Sokolov for high sticking has been called and SKA have a big chance here to get back on terms
	11:11	Kuznetsov kicks out a Kalinin slapper right to an awaiting SKA attacker who with an open net in front of him somehow misses the net! And seconds later Kevin Dallman fires only inches over the bar
	12:01	Kalinin and Kovalchuk play a pretty one two together but Kalinin's eventual slapshot is deflected up and out of play!
	12:47	SKA are missing some incredible chances as Yugra have survived again and it's a five on five hockey game
	13:27	Yugra haven't even had a shot on goal after taking the lead as they inviite their opponents to try and break them down
	14:04	Goal for SKA! They had to score eventually! Kuznetsov tries in vain to cover up the loose puck on the crease and it pops out to KEVIN DALLMAN who thumps it into the empty net, it's 1-1!
	14:28	Kalinin has a slapshot blocked from the point as SKA keep the pressure on having just equalised
	15:27	Cervenka! Cutting into the crease from the left flank he backhands the puck inches wide of the near post!
	15:39	For holding Radek Smolenak has once again put Yugra on the penalty kill as they really struggle to keep their discipline
	16:29	Dallman! From the point he drives the puck through traffic and wide, all it needed was a touch!
	17:11	Clever interchange play feeds Kalinin on the doorstep who one times the puck wide of the far post with Kuznetsov helpless!
	17:39	Yugra are now back to full strength as their opponents' powerplay is just not working today so far
	18:34	SKA ice the puck
	19:30	We're now into the final 30 seconds of the first period and Yugra will be very relieved to go into the break level
	19:46	It's icing again from the hosts
	20:00	1st period finished.
		Statistics after the opening period of play- Shots (on target)- 33 (19)- 6 (3) Faceoffs- 15-8 Hits- 5-5 Penalty minutes- 0-10
	20:01	Start of 2nd period.
	20:07	SKA commit icing right at the beginning of the second period. They will be looking to put Yugra under even more heavy pressure early on here
	20:31	Stephen Dixon drives on the right flank into the zone, backhands the puck into the near post and Salak turns it away comfortably
	21:38	Icing now from Yugra
	22:17	Sitnikov does well to take the puck all the way to Salak's net, but the pass across the crease doesn't find anyone
	22:39	Yugra have started this period well and now they've got their first powerplay of the evening, Alexey Semyonov for tripping has been sent to the penalty box
	23:08	Goal for Yugra! Their opponents missed so many chances on the powerplay earlier and Yugra now show them how it should be done! NIKITA GUSEV on the right flank skates through and goes top shelf on Salak when firing into the far corner, powerplay goal and it's 2-1! Assists- Stephen Dixon and Denis Sokolov
	23:08	Dmitriy Kalinin for high sticking straight away after that goal has been called and again Yugra are on the powerplay
	25:08	The visitors couldn't create much on that powerplay and Kalinin is back into the action
	25:36	Panarin puts the puck right across the crease but Yugra and Kuznetsov manage to shuffle the puck away
	26:26	Alexandrov! Handed a pass unmarked on the left faceoff circle he can't beat a flying Kuznetsov! SKA are struggling in this period and they need to step it up a bit
	28:16	With a defender as a screen Kovalchuk tries his luck but it's blocked! And then on the following counterattack Shefer tests Salak with a dangerous low drive from the angle!
	28:47	Tikhonov takes the puck out from the boards, cuts to the center and Kuznetsov has to make a solid save standing up!
	29:28	Icing from SKA
	29:54	Ketov with little happening in front of him wrists the puck in from the right but it gets deflected out of danger before it makes its way to Kuznetsov
	31:45	Yugra are doing a good job at the moment of taking the sting out of the game, things have certainly changed after the first period
	32:12	Cervenka here though creates a chance for himself on the backhand but loses control of it on the rebound!
	32:27	Kovalchuk! He's sent through one on one, but from a slightly awkward angle he shoots and Kuznetsov makes an excellent save to keep his team ahead!
	33:45	Panarin! Taking on the visiting defence all by himself on the right flank he wrists the puck only inches high of the far post, that was so close to making this a tied game again!
	34:41	A Yugra counterattack is worked nicely, but when trying to create something on the slot the puck is sent clear by the hosts
	35:31	Kuznetsov flashes leather to catch a powerful but hopeful effort from the left hand boards!
	36:03	This time a slapshot from closer in is held by Kuznetsov as he is just starting to work harder again
	36:55	Andrey Shefer tries to feed one of his teammates on the crease but his pass is comfortably cut out
	37:52	SKA have a powerplay opportunity to try and get back into the game, Shvidenko for slashing has been sent to the penalty box for his team
	37:56	Dallman! Open on the left he takes aim immediately but he's denied by a very alert Kuznetsov save!
	38:22	Cervenka waits at the blue line with the puck while deciding what to do, eventually he shoots but once again it's blocked!
	39:52	Yugra are back to full strength with now just eight seconds left in the second period
	40:00	2nd period finished.
		Statistics after the first two periods- Shots (on target)- 53 (31)- 24 (11) Faceoffs- 29-13 Hits- 9-10 Penalty minutes- 4-12
	40:01	Start of 3rd period.
	41:10	Kuznetsov kicks away a fierce pass into his crease as SKA look to put the pressure on right away in the third and crucial period
	42:10	SKA move offside as Evgeniy Ketov was looking to skate through one on one
	43:21	Icing is now committed by Yugra
	43:36	Salak! Big save from the home netminder! Two on one breakaway for Yugra and blocker side Salak keeps his team in it!
	44:53	Chudinov! What a chance for SKA! Ilya Kovalchuk with a wonderful cross ice pass sends Chudinov clear on the right, but Kuznetsov makes yet another fantastic save!
	46:23	A sharp snapshot from Panarin when skating hard on the right with a defender in front of him goes wide of the near post
	47:06	SKA's increasing urgency has been rewarded with a penalty, Nikita Tochitskiy for interference has been handed a two minute minor
	47:14	Kuznetsov almost lets a Chudinov slapper creep under him but at the last minute he manages to push it away with his glove!
	47:50	Kuznetsov! Beautiful save form the Yugra netminder! Kovalchuk seemed sure to score from the doorstep but Kunetsov shuts the door with his glove!
	48:44	Cervenka and Dallman both with massive slapshots are denied by Kuznetsov who is simply working miracles today so far!
	49:06	Yugra have only Kuznetsov to thank for killing that penalty and they're back to full strength
	50:21	Makarov! He shoots from just inside the zone but Kuznetsov saw it all the way and he makes an easy pad save
	51:05	Smolenak! Robbing his opposing defender he fires high into Salak's left hand post!
	51:39	Tony Martensson on a pacy breakaway tests Kuznetsov with a weak wrister from the left and at the second attempt the goalkeeper freezes
	51:53	A backhand pass from Thoresen from the left hand boards travels all the way through to Kuznetsov's awaiting glove
	52:52	Panarin! As the puck pops out to him on the crease he's denied by an incredible save by Kuznetsov right on the goal line! He is having one of the games of his life out there today
	54:28	Cervenka! He's denied by simply one of the best saves of the season surely! Found open at the right hand post his one timer is somehow stopped and he can't stuff the rebound home!
	55:36	A rather tired looking Kuznetsov lies on the ice as he catches a long Chudinov pass into his glove
	57:09	Yugra commit icing. They can see the finish line now as SKA really don't have much time to somehow beat the inspired Kuznetsov
	57:23	Offside from the home side
	57:33	Roman Cervenka for interference has been penalised and that is a big penalty for SKA to take with time running out
	57:33	And on that note the Saint Petersburgers take a time out
	58:02	Yugra are doing a good job of just taking the sting out of the game and giving Kuznetsov a breather
	58:48	Smolenak! On the right of the crease he slides the puck wide of the far post!
	59:33	SKA are now back at full strength and they have just 27 seconds left to score. Salak has now been pulled for the extra skater!
	60:00	Game over.
		There's the final buzzer, and thanks to a simply incredible performance from their goalkeeper Alexey Kuznetsov Yugra have beaten SKA 2-1! SKA dominated for practically the whole match but they found Kuznetsov too much of a force to deal with. Veli Maati Savinainen opened up the scoring in the first minute before Kevin Dallman equalised for the hosts, but Nikita Gusev's powerplay goal in the second period turned out to be the winner. Thanks for following the game with us, and join me again in just a few minutes for Slovan Bratislava against Medvescak Zagreb! (18:45:12)

Commentary by

Shaun Nicolaides

Goals & lineups Match log

Goals and assists: 15. Dallman – 1. Savinainen, 24. Gusev (Dixon, Sokolov)

SKA St. Petersburg: Salak (Ezhov)- Kalinin, Chudinov, Thoresen, Martensson, Cervenka- Alexandrov, Dallman, Kovalchuk, Tikhonov, Makarov- Kuteikin, Semyonov, Panarin, Shipachyov, Ketov- Ponikarovskiy, Kablukov, Sigaryov

HC Yugra: Kuznetsov (Kukin)- Putilov, Sokolov, Savinainen, Dixon, Smolenak- Shvidenko, Shefer, Sitnikov, Magogin, Bulyanskiy- Khvostov, Tyulyapkin, Lesnukhin, Yatsenko, Knyazev- Gusev, Tochitsky, Kurchinin- Plotnikov

Referees: Gashilov, Kulakov, Putilin, Sazonov

1st period
	00:29
	05:09
	07:00
	10:40
	10:47
	14:04
	15:39
1st intermission
2nd period
	22:39
	23:08
	23:08
	37:52
2nd intermission
3rd period
	47:06
	57:33
Final