KHL
SKA St. Petersburg – Lokomotiv 1:0 (end) | Lev – Donbass 5:2 (end)
final
SKA St. Petersburg
1:0 (1:0, 0:0, 0:0)
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
Thursday 20.03.2014, 16:30 • Ice Palace of Saint Petersburg • KHL
     
    There's the final buzzer, and in a nervy encounter SKA Saint Petersburg have claimed a 1-0 victory to take the early lead in the series! Patrick Thoresen scored what turned out to be the only goal in the fourth minute, and the home side had to rely on their goaltender Alexander Salak to make some excellent saves to preserve their lead. Thanks for following the game with us, and see you again soon for more breathtaking KHL playoff action! (18:39:23)
     
    60:00
    Game over.
     
    59:48
    We're now into the final seconds of the third period with Lokomotiv failing to get set up in the attacking zone
     
    59:23
    Somehow SKA mess up a great chance to seal it with the empty net gaping!
     
    58:55
    Lokomotiv have pulled their netminder in favour of the extra skater!
     
    58:00
    Salak sees a long pass come in towards his net blocker side and he freezes as to take no chances
     
    57:20
    Lokomotiv commit icing as time now starts to run down
     
    56:39
    Igor Makarov breaks through one on one, goes up close with Sanford looking for the five hole but the goalkeeper comes up trumps to keep his team in it!
     
    55:48
    It's icing from the hosts
     
    55:23
    Sergey Plotnikov bursts his way into the slot with teammates waiting but Salak finds the puck and covers it up before anyone can get to it
     
    55:03
    Cervenka behind the net looks to set up a teammate skating in but Thoresen snaps the puck into Sanford's pads!
     
    54:14
    Tikhonov! Breaking into the zone at pace Viktor Tikhonov cracks an effort wide of the left hand post!
     
    53:54
    And now Lokomotiv go offside as they look to fully take the initiative
     
    53:21
    The visitors ice the puck
     
    52:46
    Kronwall! Niklas Kronwall twists sharply at the right of the crease and backhands the puck towards the far post but it drifts wide!
     
    51:10
    Two on one breakaway for the hosts, Shipachyov feeds his teammate at the right far hand post but the puck ends up rolling in front of the goal and Lokomotiv clear!
     
    50:31
    Lokomotiv are now back to full strength and have just under ten minutes left to get back into the game
     
    49:20
    Sanford sends away a heavy slapper from the blue line and no one can get to the rebound up close!
     
    48:31
    Emil Galimov for elbowing Vadim Shipachyov in the face has been sent to the penalty box and SKA have a timely powerplay to calm their nerves
     
    48:03
    Platt! His testing wrister is just about dealt with by Salak glove side, the puck pops back out but SKA defenders force it round into the boards
     
    47:05
    Cervenka! All on his own in the away zone he blasts the puck in from the left faceoff circle but it finds only Sanford's pads!
     
    46:30
    Lokomotiv now ice the puck
     
    45:26
    How didn't that go in! Sergey Konkov puts the puck in on net from the point, Salak is already on his back but with bodies falling everywhere it stays out!
     
    44:53
    Lokomotiv move offside
     
    44:28
    Kovalchuk cutting in from behind the net can't find any of his teammates on the crease with the away defenders out of position!
     
    43:11
    Martensson! Tony Martensson is unmarked on the right faceoff circle, he one times it and glove side Sanford makes an expert save!
     
    42:44
    It's icing from SKA as the home side seem to have already given the initiative over to their opponents
     
    41:16
    Salak loses control of the puck off a low wrist shot from distance and he relies on his defenders to bail him out!
     
    40:01
    Here we go in the third and vital period! At only 1-0 up SKA won't be feeling comfortable at all yet with Lokomotiv searching for that all important equaliser
     
    40:01
    Start of 3rd period.
     
    Statistics after the opening 40 minutes of play-

    Shots (on target)- 40 (23 )- 21 (12)
    Faceoffs- 14-21
    Hits- 7-8
    Penalty minutes- 4-4
     
    40:00
    2nd period finished.
     
    39:30
    We're now into the final 30 seconds of an engrossing second period with SKA still leading 1-0
     
    39:00
    SKA commit icing
     
    38:07
    Ilya Kablukov can't control the puck as a sweeping breakaway finds its way to him on the left, he takes it back though but can't find any of his teammates on the slot!
     
    36:49
    Alexander Kucheryavenko grabs hold of a rebound right on the doorstep but Sanford makes a superb save from point blank range!
     
    36:01
    Salak! At first he pads away a low dangerous attempt, and then he makes a really solid save to deny a high shot from the right hand boards!
     
    35:35
    Makarov skating hard into the zone on the right has a low wrist shot blocked by Yakovlev right in front of him
     
    34:19
    Pashnin! Mikhail Pashnin looks for the far post from the left faceoff circle, it gets deflected almost right on to Emil Galimov but the forward can't poke it home past Salak!
     
    33:41
    Averin skates in from behind Salak's net, finds Yegor Yakovlev but he's crowded out very quickly
     
    33:10
    It's icing from SKA. They're controlling the game excellently and they just need that second goal to feel more comfortable
     
    32:02
    Lokomotiv now are back to full strength
     
    31:14
    Dallman! Right on the blue line Kevin Dallman fires in on goal but it's right down Sanford's throat! SKA are putting good pressure on here
     
    30:02
    For high sticking against Kovalchuk Igor Musatov, one of the most active visiting players today, has been called and SKA have a powerplay opportunity to increase their advantage
     
    28:56
    Ryasensky! Evgeniy Ryasensky one times it from the right faceoff circle but with Sanford falling all around the place the puck flies inches wide of his left hand post!
     
    27:44
    Makarov! Twisting sharply coming in from behind the goal he wrists looking to catch Sanford out blocker side but the goalkeeper is there!
     
    27:19
    SKA ice the puck
     
    26:14
    Two Lokomotiv forwards almost dive on top of Salak who despite that pressure keeps hold of a dump into his crease
     
    25:19
    Sanford! The Lokomotiv goalkeeper has to make two very important saves as he denies Shipachyov's wrister from the left, Makarov then tries his luck coming in from the opposite side but again he'e denied!
     
    24:57
    Dmitriy Yudin intelligently backhands the puck to Kovalchuk who charges through on the right flank, looks for someone to connect on the slot but Sanford cuts it out
     
    23:55
    Cervenka! Thoresen takes the puck around and behind Sanford's net, he finds Cervenka unmarked at the right hand post but the away goaltender makes a wonderful save!
     
    22:35
    Clever interchange play is finished off by Igor Makarov who can't get a clean attempt away at the top of the crease! The pace is just not letting up
     
    21:17
    Sprukts! What a chance for Lokomotiv to draw level! Janis Sprukts is handed a very dangerous pass right across the crease, he's completely open but Salak comes up with a wonderful right pad save!
     
    20:35
    And now SKA are indeed back to full strength. They will be looking to build on what was a very encouraging first period
     
    20:01
    Lokomotiv only have 35 seconds powerplay time left at the start of the second period with Cervenka in the penalty box for the hosts
     
    20:01
    Start of 2nd period.
     
    Statistics after the first period-

    Shots (on target)- 19 (12)- 11 (6)
    Faceoffs- 8-9
    Hits- 5-4
    Penalty minutes- 4-2
     
    20:00
    1st period finished.
     
    19:44
    Yegor Yakovlev floors the defenders in front of him, looks to go for Salak's right hand post but he loses control of the puck when in a great position! And we're now into the final seconds of the opening period
     
    18:35
    Roman Cervenka for slashing has picked up already the third penalty of the game and Lokomotiv have a big chance here to get back on level terms
     
    18:01
    Salak can't hold on to a low effort from the point first time and at the second attempt he covers up
     
    17:54
    Musatov for not the first time is all on his own in the opposing zone, but his wrister from the right is held easily by Salak
     
    16:34
    Lokomotiv have just about survived that penalty and they're back at full strength
     
    16:33
    Tikhonov! Kovalchuk finds Viktor Tikhonov standing right in front of the goaltender, he twists but from point blank range he can't stuff it under Sanford!
     
    15:22
    Tony Martensson just can't get his stick on the puck as it pops out right on the crease from Sanford's glove!
     
    14:34
    Lokomotiv are now going on the penalty kill for the first time this evening as Igor Musatov for high sticking has been penalised
     
    14:03
    The visitors move offside with just under six minutes left in the first period
     
    12:51
    SKA are now back at full strength as Ilya Kovalchuk skates in, drifts to the right and finds Sanford's midriff from distance!
     
    12:37
    Platt again from the point takes aim but for the second time bodies in front of him block the puck!
     
    11:25
    Geoff Platt can't get a heavy slapshot through traffic just after Salak had clung on to the puck excellently glove side with opposition players all around him!
     
    10:51
    We have the first penalty of the game and it's against SKA as Vadim Shipachyov is handed a two minute minor for holding
     
    10:32
    Galimov! He skates in with pace and puts a wrist shot inches wide of Salak's right hand post!
     
    10:16
    The ultras sector for the home side is jumping up and down and supporting their team well, they're happy with what they're seeing so far
     
    08:14
    Igor Musatov skates into the opposing zone all on his own, goes for an early wrister but it's right into the chest of Salak
     
    07:40
    Shipachyov finds Makarov by the right hand boards who can only wrist well over the bar!
     
    07:06
    Alexey Ponikarovskiy is fed breaking into the zone but a visiting defender crashes into him to prevent any danger
     
    06:27
    Yegor Averin skating through on the left flank looks to go near post on Salak but the puck files harmlessly into the boards
     
    05:12
    SKA cough up the puck to Emil Galimov from behind the net but the young forward cutting in from the right can't find room to take aim!
     
    04:41
    Lokomotiv commit icing again. Their opponents are looking excellent in the early stages and fully deserve their early lead
     
    03:20
    Goal for SKA! The hosts have started brightly and they have the first goal of the series! PATRICK THORESEN unmarked by the left faceoff circle one times a superb Cervenka pass into the net, it's 1-0! Assists- Roman Cervenka and Alexey Semyonov
     
    03:04
    Alexander Salak gets his first touch of the puck covering a wrist shot from the left hand boards blocker side
     
    02:42
    Lokomotiv ice the puck. The will be looking to play the patient game today waiting for their chances on the counterattack
     
    02:02
    Shipachyov! Vadim Shipachyov digs the puck out from under his stake in the middle of the zone, gets a shot away and Sanford sends it away!
     
    00:52
    The pace of the game is high within the first few seconds as Sanford holds on to a low pass in towards his net. He will expect to be a very busy man tonight
     
    00:16
    Roman Cervenka from the left finishes off SKA's first attack of the game with a shot that Curtis Sanford comfortably deals with
     
    00:01
    Game started.
     
    The teams are now emerging out on to the ice after a wonderful pre-match show from the hosts! Everyone is up for this and after the national anthem of the Russian Federation we will be getting underway!
     
    Starting lineups:

    SKA St. Petersburg: Salak (Ezhov)- Alexandrov, Dallman, Thoresen, Martensson, Cervenka- Semyonov, Chudinov, Ponikarovskiy, Kablukov, Kovalchuk- Kuteikin, Ryasensky, Tikhonov, Shipachyov, Makarov- Yudin, Barabanov, Malyshev, Kucheryavenko, Sigaryov

    Lokomotiv Yaroslavl: Sanford (Kolesnik)- Yakovlev, Kronwall, Averin, Apalkov, Plotnikov- Lyubushkin, Vasiliev, Platt, Sprukts, Redlihs- Pashnin, Gorokhov, Konkov, Kartaev, Galimov- Vishnevskiy, Kapustin, Petrov, Musatov, Akhmetov

    Referees: Sergeev, Ravodin, Sivov, Shelyanin.
     
    In the first round of the playoffs SKA put CSKA Moscow to the sword as the team from Saint Petersburg whitewashed their opponents 4-0. Lokomotiv were involved in a simply thrilling series against reigning champions Dynamo Moscow which went right down to the wire, with Lokomotiv winning 5-1 in the seventh game to claim the series 4-3.
     
    SKA are one of the main favourites to go on and win the Gagarin Cup, and in the regular season they were one of the best teams as they finished second in the Western Conference with 105 points. Lokomotiv on the other hand scraped into the playoffs with a whimper as they claimed eighth place of the same conference for themselves with 84 points.
     
    The first round of this year's KHL playoffs whetted our appetite, and now things really do start to get serious. SKA and Lokomotiv are most probably the two strongest teams in the west right now, with Lokomotiv fresh from knocking out reigning champions Dynamo Moscow and their opponents SKA managed to thrash Moscow outfit CSKA in their series.
     
    Good afternoon everyone and welcome to this KHL Western Conference semifinal playoff match between SKA Saint Petersburg and Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. We are already into the second round of the playoffs, and this encounter is set to go right down to the wire.
     
    Welcome. Game starts at 16:30.
    Commentary by

    Shaun Nicolaides

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 4. Thoresen (Cervenka, Semyonov)

    SKA St. Petersburg: Salak (Ezhov)- Alexandrov, Dallman, Thoresen, Martensson, Cervenka- Semyonov, Chudinov, Ponikarovskiy, Kablukov, Kovalchuk- Kuteikin, Ryasensky, Tikhonov, Shipachyov, Makarov- Yudin, Barabanov, Malyshev, Kucheryavenko, Sigaryov
    Lokomotiv Yaroslavl: Sanford (Kolesnik)- Yakovlev, Kronwall, Averin, Apalkov, Plotnikov- Lyubushkin, Vasiliev, Platt, Sprukts, Redlihs- Pashnin, Gorokhov, Konkov, Kartaev, Galimov- Vishnevskiy, Kapustin, Petrov, Musatov, Akhmetov
    Referees: Sergeev, Ravodin, Sivov, Shelyanin
    Attendance: 12389