PET 6:2 NOV | SKA St. Petersburg - Metallurg Novokuznetsk (KHL)

KHL

SKA St. Petersburg – Novokuznetsk

6:2 (end)

final

SKA St. Petersburg

6:2 (1:1, 4:0, 1:1)

Metallurg Novokuznetsk

Thursday 27.11.2014, 17:30 • Ice Palace of Saint Petersburg • KHL

		Welcome. Game starts at 17:30.
		Good evening and welcome to this KHL regular season match between SKA Saint Petersburg and Metallurg Novokuznetsk. For both teams this is a very important match, with good form having deserted them.
		SKA. despite making an almost perfect start to the season, have seen results drop significantly, winning only one of their past six games and now trailing first placed CSKA Moscow by four points. It's been the same kind of story for Metallurg too, who after gaining some positive wins, have gone off the boil and lay in 10th place of the Eastern Conference.
		Last campaign SKA made the Western Conference semi finals, whereas Metallurg failed to make the post season playoffs.
		Starting lineups: SKA St. Petersburg: Ivannikov (Shestyorkin)- Y Alexandrov, Kuteikin, Kovalchuk, Ericsson, Barabanov- Kalinin, Rukavishnikov, Thoresen, Martensson, Cervenka- Khafizullin, Ermakov, Panarin, Shipachyov, Toluzakov- Yudin, Kablukov, PonikarovskIy, Kadeikin, Burdasov Metallurg Novokuznetsk: Sorokin (Khakimov)- Zotov, Fairchild, Kaprizov, O'Brien, Stoa- Kuklev, Dorofeev, Komaristiy, Malinovskiy, Galimov- Kamalov, Kanarskiy, Skladnichenko, Garifulin, Plotnikov- Garvilichev, Belokhvostikov, Mityarkov, Kurepanov, Kosourov Referees: Denis Bondar, Roman Schenyov, Andrey Matyusha, Evgeniy Petrov.
		The Russian national anthem has now sounded, and we're all ready to get started!
	00:01	Game started.
	00:23	Off we go! It's very important for SKA to get back to winning ways at home, but Metallurg are full of character!
	02:02	We already have the first penalty game and it's gone against the visitors, as forward Vadim Mitryakov has been penalised for tripping
	02:54	Kovalchuk! Ilya Kovalchuk takes on a huge slapper from the right faceoff circle, and the puck screams past the far post! The netminder looked worried there!
	03:30	Goal for SKA! SKA were pressing deep inside the attacking zone and they have their breakthrough! PATRICK THORESEN is teed up to the left of the slot, and with Ilya Sorokin slightly out of position he fires home near corner! Powerplay goal and it's 1:0! Assists- Ilya Kovalchuk and Jimmie Ericsson
	04:34	The home crowd inside the Saint Petersburg Ice Palace roared with relief there! SKA are putting on the pressure early, and Metallurg don't want to get blown away!
	05:35	Tony Martensson swings to the right hand post, pushes the puck across, and Roman Cervenka can only poke it into Ilya Sorokin's pads from point blank range!
	06:43	SKA's goalkeeper Evgeniy Ivannikov makes his first save of the day here, as at the second attempt he covers a rising wrister from the blue line
	07:47	Metallurg commit icing. They have a very young team, and they have shocked everyone to be still in the playoff race in November having in the past been out of it very early on
	08:40	Evgeniy Belokhvostikov falling up against the right boards whacks it into the slot, and Evgeniy Ivannikov comfortably sweeps it up into his glove to freeze
	11:04	Filipp Toluzakov attempts to bully his way directly through the middle of the Metallurg zone, and he's pushed off the puck at the vital moment! And then Andrey Ermakov wriggles free down the right wing, and Ilya Sorokin manages to deflect his very dangerous effort up and out of play!
	11:23	Metallurg have taken up their second offence of the day, as for tripping Vadim Mityarkov is again the guilty party
	13:23	The visitors survived that time however and are back at full strength having looked more solid
	14:31	The referee has his arm again but this time SKA are going on the penalty, as Swedish forward Jimmie Ericsson has been punished for hooking
	16:19	Komaristiy! For the first time today Metallurg create something as Alexander Komaristiy twists on the doorstep, attempts to stuff it beyond Evgeniy Ivannikov, and the netminder does excellently to get his body in the way! And SKA have five players back on the ice
	17:50	Goal for Metallurg Novokuznetsk! Out of virtually nothing the visitors are back on terms! The puck pops out to the tip of the slot, and KIRILL GAVRILICHEV pokes it beyond the goalkeeper! It's 1:1! Assists- Vadim Mityarkov and Alexey Kosourov
	18:17	James O'Brien wrists speeding down the right flank, and the goalkeeper holds on to it. SKA didn't look like conceding, and they need to get back on their game promptly!
	18:48	Barabanov! Alexander Barabanov wobbles on to the crease from behind the net on the right, opts for a pass cum shot, and eventually Ilya Sorokin covers it up! That looked dangerous!
	19:32	It's been a very eventful first period, and it's now already in its final seconds!
	20:00	1st period finished.
		Statistics after the opening period of play: Shots: 20-10 Shots on target: 10-8 Faceoffs: 11-11 Hits: 10-9 Penalty minutes: 2-4
	20:01	Start of 2nd period.
	20:08	The second stanza is go! SKA aren't happy about being only level, whereas Metallurg are visibly growing into the game!
	21:06	Goal for SKA! Immediately SKA regain their lead! ILYA KOVALCHUK works space for himself down the middle, pulls to the left, and backhands it clinically past Ilya Sorokin! It's 2:1! Assists- Vadim Shipachyov
	23:19	Goal for SKA! The hosts have simply burst into life here! Patrick Thoresen twists brilliantly to the right of the slot, and feeds ALEXANDER KADEIKIN on the doorstep who makes no mistake! It's 3:1! Assists- Patrick Thoresen and Andrey Ermakov
	23:34	And a penalty against Metallurg has now been called, they are falling to pieces here! Mikhail Kuklev has now made their lives even harder for delaying the game!
	23:50	Goal for SKA! Metallurg are simply crashing and burning in Saint Petersburg! ILYA KOVALCHUK is set up on the right faceoff circle, and thumps it off the far post! Powerplay goal and it's 4:1! Assists- Vadim Shipachyov and Patrick Thoresen
	23:50	Metallurg have now opted to swap their goaltender, with Rafael Khakimov skating on to replace the deflated Ilya Sorokin! They had to do something!
	26:24	Goal for SKA! Wow, just where has this come from! SKA are so ruthless, Metallurg are being shown up! The puck rolls through to Vadim Shipachyov lurking on the tip of the slot, and doing a full 360 he beats newly installed Rafael Khakimov! It's 5:1! Assists- Dmitriy Yudin
	29:51	SKA are seeing all of the puck, pressing it deep inside their opponents zone! The visitors are having a nightmare of it at the moment!
	30:29	Andrey Kuteikin takes on a powerful slapshot from the point, and the goalkeeper pads it up into the boards! He needs to feel his way into the game!
	31:01	Barabanov! Maybe it should have already been six! Alexander Barabanov moves away from his opponent at point blank range, but thrashes at the puck seeing it sail over the bar!
	32:41	Chance after chance is coming for SKA! Playing on the rebound Vadim Shipachyov from a tough angle on the right completely misses an already empty net! The hosts could have a hat-full before this game is done with!
	34:54	Roman Cervenka sweeps up the loose puck by the right hand boards, gathers it in, flashes it across the face of goal and Patrick Thoresen nudges it into Rafael Khakimov's stomach! Metallurg are all over the place defensively!
	35:53	Metallurg do have a decent numbers of fans inside the Saint Petersburg Ice Palace, but they are looking rather downhearted, and you can understand why
	37:33	The tempo has been lowered a little bit by SKA, they came seriously hard out of the blocks at the start, pulling well away from their opponents!
	38:01	The puck gets laid back to the blue line, Andrey Kuteikin takes a whack at it, and the goaltender through traffic is able to kick it out
	38:33	Skladnichenko! What a chance for Metallurg to give themselves a bit of hope! A poor defensive mistake lets Nikolay Skladnichenko through one on one, but he can't beat Evgeniy Ivannikov blocker side!
	38:57	Tony Martensson bats the puck down out of the air and in, but no, the goal has been waved off for high sticking! Nevertheless SKA have earned a powerplay for themselves, as Metallurg forward Ansel Galimov has been punished for goaltender interference
	39:43	Thoresen! Patrick Thoresen is dished speeing through the enter, and all alone with the netminder he can only wrist into Rafael Khakimov's glove! And it's now the final seconds of a fantastic second period from the hosts!
	40:00	2nd period finished.
		Statistics after the first two periods: Shots: 44-22 Shots on target: 28-16 Faceoffs: 24-16 Hits: 14-19 Penalty minutes: 4-4
	40:01	Start of 3rd period.
	40:57	The third period has now begun! And after still having an outstanding penalty running Metallurg are back to full strength. They had a second period from hell, and have to find their feet!
	41:38	Evgeniy Ivannikov, who barely touched the puck during the second, makes a very alert save blocker side on a pacy Metallurg counterattack! He looked fresh on that play!
	42:44	Vadim Shipachyov quite brilliantly darts his way up close, but smacks the right hand post! And for interference a few seconds later SKA defenceman Dinar Khafizullin has been handed a two minute minor
	44:51	Zotov! The puck trickles back to the blue line, Vitaliy Zotov slaps it as hard as he can, and Evgeniy Ivannikov flashes leather confidently to deny him! SKA did indeed come back to full strength just a few moments before that attempt
	46:28	Panarin! Roman Cervenka at the high slot cleverly feeds Artemiy Panarin who is pacing down the right wing, but the latter's one timer is stoned by Rafael Khakimov's right pad!
	48:47	SKA have eased off slightly letting Metallurg have more possession, and Dmitriy Yudin, and then goaltender Evgeniy Ivannikov, make a couple of heroic blocks from up close!
	50:35	SKA have been handed a penalty shot! Anton Burdasov had his back hacked at when one on one, and a penalty shot has been awarded!
	50:35	Up skates Anton Burdasov, he drifts blocker side, and can't beat Rafael Khakimov who stands his ground! We play on still at 5:1
	51:39	Rather unexpectedly here Metallurg have opted to take a timeout, with still over eight minutes remaining
	51:45	Kovalchuk! Ilya Kovalchuk pulling down the right takes himself away from his opponents, and slaps fiercely into the side netting! He really wants his hat trick!
	53:33	Off a faceoff draw on the left a snappy wrister is put in on net, and Evgeniy Ivannikov catches it neatly. Despite not having that much to do today so far, the SKA goaltender has looked solid!
	54:56	Goal for SKA! It looked as though SKA had gone quiet, but there is their sixth! ALEXANDER KADEIKIN is set up at the high slot, and he wrists it with feeling into the net! It's 6:1! Assists- Roman Rukavishnikov and Alexey Ponikarovskiy
	57:13	Goal for Metallurg Novokuznetsk! Metallurg have some sort of consolation for themselves to take away! NIKOLAY SKLADNICHENKO is laid off to the right of the crease, and he goes five hole on Evgeniy Ivannikov! It's 6:2! Assists- Nikita Kamalov and Mikhail Plotnikov
	58:19	The difference was straight away put back to four goals, and SKA have been guilty at times of taking their eye off the ball at the back. The home fans still have a lot to shout about though!
	59:30	Ermakov! Andrey Ermakov teases Metallurg defencemen with the puck, pulls to the left before slapping, and he misses the far post by inches!
	59:51	The final seconds are now upon us, and SKA are heading to a confidence boosting 6:2 victory on home ice!
	60:00	Game over.
		There is the final buzzer, and SKA Saint Petersburg have romped to a thumping 6:2 triumph over Metallurg Novokuznetsk! The hosts were dominant for long spells, and simply outclassed their opponents. Patrick Thoresen, Vadim Shipachyov, and Ilya Kovalchuk and Alexander Kadeikin both with a double made the win safe. Kirill Gavrilichev and Nikolay Skladnichenko netted the Metallurg replies. Thanks for following the game with us, and see you again soon for more thrilling KHL action! (19:55:14)

Commentary by

Shaun Nicolaides

Goals & lineups Match log

Goals and assists: 4. Thoresen (Kovalchuk, Ericsson), 22. Kovalchuk (Shipachyov), 24. Kadeikin (Thoresen, Ermakov), 24. Kovalchuk (Shipachyov, Thoresen), 27. Shipachyov (Yudin), 55. Kadeikin (Rukavishnikov, Ponikarovskiy) – 18. Gavrilichev (Mityarkov, Kosourov), 58. Skladnichenko (Kamalov, Plotnikov)

SKA St. Petersburg: Ivannikov (Shestyorkin)- Y Alexandrov, Kuteikin, Kovalchuk, Ericsson, Barabanov- Kalinin, Rukavishnikov, Thoresen, Martensson, Cervenka- Khafizullin, Ermakov, Panarin, Shipachyov, Toluzakov- Yudin, Kablukov, PonikarovskIy, Kadeikin, Burdasov

Metallurg Novokuznetsk: Sorokin (Khakimov)- Zotov, Fairchild, Kaprizov, O'Brien, Stoa- Kuklev, Dorofeev, Komaristiy, Malinovskiy, Galimov- Kamalov, Kanarskiy, Skladnichenko, Garifulin, Plotnikov- Garvilichev, Belokhvostikov, Mityarkov, Kurepanov, Kosourov

Referees: Denis Bondar, Roman Schenyov, Andrey Matyusha, Evgeniy Petrov

Attendance: 12173

1st period
	02:02
	03:30
	11:23
	14:31
	17:50
1st intermission
2nd period
	21:06
	23:19
	23:34
	23:50
	26:24
	38:57
2nd intermission
3rd period
	42:44
	54:56
	57:13
Final