KHL
SKA St. Petersburg – Metallurg M 1:2 (end)
final
SKA St. Petersburg
1:2 (0:1, 1:0, 0:1)
Metallurg Magnitogorsk
Thursday 06.11.2014, 17:30 • Ice Palace of Saint Petersburg • KHL
     
    There indeed is the final buzzer, and SKA Saint Petersburg have dropped their first home game of the season 1:2 to Metallurg Magnitogorsk! The visitors were very patient, and saw out the game perfectly. Maxim Yakutsenya and Rafael Batyrshin got their goals, whereas Roman Cervenka replied for SKA. Thanks for following the game with us, and see you again soon for more thrilling KHL action! (19:55:15)
     
    60:00
    Game over.
     
    59:52
    Metallurg are expertly seeing the game out as they are now heading for a tough 2:1 victory on the road!
     
    59:20
    A timeout has been taken by SKA, they only have just over thirty seconds to take this into overtime!
     
    59:13
    And SKA netminder Evgeniy Ivannikov has now indeed been swapped for the extra skater! It's now or never for the hosts!
     
    58:21
    The final two minutes are upon us already as the game has gone almost seven/eight minutes without any stoppages at all! Time is simply flying by!
     
    55:10
    There are no shots on goal at all at the moment, SKA can't control the puck and their visitors are very happy to just dump it down the other end and keep it there!
     
    53:47
    The hosts are moving the puck with confidence but time and time again they are being shoved out of the attacking zone, Metallurg are proving to be stubborn!
     
    52:44
    With that goal coming with only just over eight minutes remaining SKA have a huge task ahead to draw level! The Metallurg defence is looking very tough to break down at the moment!
     
    51:35
    Goal for Metallurg!
    Out of completely nothing the visitors have grabbed what could be a pivotal lead! RAFAEL BATYRSHIN whips it across from a tight angle on the right, and somehow it sneaks through the goalkeeper and in! It's 1:2! Assists- Danis Zaripov
     
    50:01
    Near post glove side SKA netminder Evgeniy Ivannikov has to watch out for a trickling dump across the face of goal, and with attackers charging down he holds on
     
    49:11
    Ponikarovskiy! Stretching his stick out on to a slide rule feed from behind the net on the left Alexey Ponikaorvskiy can only hit the side netting! That was a fantastic chance to move SKA ahead for the first time today!
     
    47:13
    While being in the vast minority today, the visiting fans from Magnitogorsk are making themselves heard loud and clear, to the boos of SKA's supporters!
     
    46:13
    Metallurg just like earlier on are content to sit back and break out of defence with a lot of numbers, they're trying to simply suffocate SKA's attacking game
     
    44:14
    Roman Cervenka on a mad erupting goalmouth scramble wrists quite unexpectedly, but the netminder still is able to kick it round and out of danger! SKA are starting to up the antti now!
     
    42:51
    Off a faceoff draw on the left Igor Makarov takes a swipe at the puck, and that's directly down the throat of Vasiliy Koshechkin who has been rock solid so far
     
    42:01
    Ponikarovskiy! Despite it being a rather slow start to the period Alexey Ponikarovskiy of SKA outmuscles his opponents closing down on the doorstep, but he's pushed out of the way just in time!
     
    40:08
    The crucial third period is underway! Both sides are creating chances aplenty, and the next goal could prove to be the winner!
     
    40:01
    Start of 3rd period.
     
    Statistics after the opening 40 minutes of play:

    Shots: 39-31
    Shots on target: 23-17
    Faceoffs: 12-24
    Hits: 19-18
    Penalty minutes: 0-2
    Commentary by

    Shaun Nicolaides

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 28. Cervenka (Martensson, Thoresen) – 12. Yakutsenya (Antipin, Batyrshin), 52. Batyrshin (Zaripov)

    SKA St. Petersburg: Ivannikov (Salak)- Ryasensky, Khafizullin, Kovalchuk, Kablukov, Makarov- Y Alexandrov, Kuteikin, Panarin, Tikhonov, Dadonov- Chudinov, Belov, Thoresen, Martensson, Cervenka- Barabanov, Ponikarovskiy, Kadeikin, Ketov
    Metallurg Magnitogorsk: Koshechkin (Pechurskiy)- Biryukov, Antipin, Platonov, Kovar, Zaripov- Khabarov, Lee, Grigorenko, Brent, Potekhin- Batyrshin, Bereglazov, Kosov, Kamenev, Yakutsenya- Ibragimov, Tereschenko, Pare, Yunkov, Timkin
    Referees: Alexey Anisimov, Daniel Picharek, Gleb Lazarev, Eduard Metalnikov
    Attendance: 12181