Metallurg M – SKA St. Petersburg 4:3 (after OT)
final/OT
Metallurg Magnitogorsk
4:3 (0:1, 1:1, 2:1 - 1:0)
SKA St. Petersburg
Tuesday 09.12.2014, 15:00 • Arena Metallurg • KHL
     
    Metallurg Magnitogorsk in overtime have heroically seen off SKA Saint Petersburg 4:3 to claim the extra point! It looked as though SKA were cruising to the win, but the hosts had other ideas. Chris Lee, Sergey Mozyakin, Danis Zaripov and Jan Kovar all struck for Metallurg, with Artemiy Panarin, Roman Cervenka and Evgeniy Dadonov replying for the visitors. Thanks for following the game with us, and see you again soon for more exciting KHL action! (18:00:18)
     
    Game over.
     
    62:19
    Goal for Metallurg!
    There it is, it's Metallurg's day after all! SKA get caught out changing their line, and JAN KOVAR on the backhand finishes the game when one on one! It's 4:3!
     
    60:56
    Overtime is underway here inside the Arena Metallurg! We will have five minutes of play, and if no goals will be seen, then we will go to penalty shots. We remind you that both teams have already earned one point each, with it having been a draw after normal time
     
    60:01
    Overtime began.
     
    Statistics after the initial 60 minutes of play:

    Shots: 48-41
    Shots on target: 29-37
    Faceoffs: 21-11
    Hits: 20-17
    Penalty minutes: 35-12
     
    60:00
    3rd period finished.
     
    59:50
    We are indeed heading into overtime here, with SKA simply out on their feet! It really did seem as though they had done enough for the win, but Metallurg have shown remarkable character to come back!
     
    58:40
    Goal for Metallurg!
    Unbelievable! Just like that it's a tied game, and overtime looks as though it's coming! The puck pops out to the right hand post, and with the netminder already out of position DANIS ZARIPOV hits the net! It's 3:3!
     
    56:42
    Goal for Metallurg!
    All of a sudden the hosts are right back into things! SERGEY MOZYAKIN gobbles up his own rebound falling to the right of the slot, and he banks it in off Mikko Koskinen's glove! It's 2:3! Assists- Viktor Antipin
     
    56:24
    Jan Kovar skates along the boards on the right, checks back to the point, dumps it into the slot, and Mikko Koskinen sweeps it up into his glove comfortably
     
    54:41
    The crowd inside the Arena Metallurg has gone rather quiet here, SKA are cleverly killing the game with neat passing moves at neutral ice, and sapping Metallurg's energy away
     
    52:09
    However Metallurg couldn't create anything at all, and their opponents are back at full strength. SKA's defence is looking very solid today so far, as Metallurg aren't having an awful lot to feed off!
     
    50:09
    The hosts have been given a potentially critical powerplay here, as SKA's forward Ilya Kablukov has been handed a two minute minor for slashing
     
    47:36
    Alexandrov! Artemiy Panarin brilliantly twisting around from behind the net to the crease lays it back to Yury Alexandrov to slap, and the latter's drive is gathered in confidently by Vasiliy Koshechkin!
     
    44:10
    Metallurg are now to their relief back to full strength, but at two goals down already they have a real task on their hands if they are to get any points from today's match up!
     
    43:46
    Shorthanded Maxim Yakutsenya charges away shorthanded, and wrists into Mikko Koskinen's chest from way out on the left flank. And on the following SKA counter Vasiliy Koshechkin makes a superb save with his pads from close range! A fourth would most probably kill the contest!
     
    41:40
    Goal for SKA!
    They weren't ever going to let that go to waste! EVGENIY DADONOV is all alone between the circles, and he clinically rifles it into the right hand corner! Powerplay goal and it's 1:3! Assists- Artemiy Panarin and Vadim Shipachyov
     
    40:37
    Here we go in the deciding period, with SKA still on the powerplay for just under five minutes! They can't afford to let that opportunity slip away!
     
    40:01
    Start of 3rd period.
     
    Statistics after the first two periods:

    Shots: 32-27
    Shots on target: 17-19
    Faceoffs: 19-12
    Hits: 15-14
    Penalty minutes: 35-10
     
    40:00
    2nd period finished.
     
    39:56
    The final moments of the second stanza are now upon us, with SKA in the box seat before the deciding one!
     
    39:08
    The momentum has taken a huge swing here, and now it's Metallurg who are constantly getting into trouble with the referees! Defenceman Chris Lee has hit with a 5+20 penalty for high sticking, and the visitors have a great chance to pull away even more!
     
    37:31
    Goal for SKA!
    It hasn't looked like coming, but SKA have their lead back! Just as Metallurg came back to full strength ROMAN CERVENKA is set up on the doorstep from behind the net on the right, and he makes no mistake! It's 1:2! Assists- Tony Martensson and Patrick Thoresen
     
    36:01
    Dadonov! That was a gaping chance to score a vital second for SKA! Evgeniy Dadonov is picked out with a cross ice pass by the right faceoff circle, and his rising wrister is somehow kept out by Vasiliy Koshechkin's glove!
     
    35:27
    However here out of the blue SKA have been gifted a very timely powerplay, as Metallurg forward Evgeniy Timkin has been penalised for roughing
     
    35:25
    Mikko Koskinen covers up a tricky puck blocker side and takes no chances with it at all. He's having more and more work to do, as his team are struggling to get out of their own zone!
     
    34:19
    Yaroslav Kosov bursts through the middle of SKA's zone, he's just about through one on one, and as he gets an attempt away he's completely taken out by a visiting defenceman! The Metallurg head coach is furious that a penalty hasn't been called on that play!
     
    32:18
    Shipachyov! SKA weren't far away from regaining their lead! Artemiy Panarin lurking behind the net feeds Vadim Shipachyov on the doorstep, and the latter thrashes it well over the right corner!
     
    31:15
    A searching dish to the right hand post picks out Viktor Antipin, but he fails to take the puck under his spell! He would have had a clear opening!
     
    29:57
    Denis Platonov bursts into the attacking zone down the left wing, wrists when being pressurized, and Mikko Koskinen catches confidently to freeze
     
    28:03
    SKA are back at full strength, they are looking a shadow of themselves compared to the first period and promptly need to regroup!
     
    27:43
    Mozyakin! Sergey Mozyakin thumps a one timer inches wide of the far post when on the left faceoff circle! And then seconds later Danis Zaripov from the opposite flanks forces Mikko Koskinen into a sharp pad save! The hosts are seriously putting the heat on!
     
    26:03
    Yury Alexandrov didn't stay out of the box or long, though, as he has been punished for tripping! Virtually out of nothing SKA are in real penalty trouble, having already conceded!
     
    24:23
    Goal for Metallurg!
    Metallurg punish their opponents in the most perfect way possible! The SKA defence is nowhere to be seen as CHRIS LEE cunningly closes down from the high slot, and moving beautifully to the left of the slot he whips it home! Powerplay goal and it's 1:1! Assists- Sergey Mozyakin and Jan Kovar
     
    24:00
    Just as I said that again the visitors have committed a foul! Yury Alexandrov has now been called by the referees, as he hooked his opponent directly under their noses!
     
    22:32
    SKA looked very solid during those couple of minutes and are back at full strength. Their penalty kill hasn't been working that great in recent duels, and they can't afford to take too many cheap fouls
     
    20:32
    Almost immediately Metallurg have been handed a very hand powerplay opportunity, as SKA defenceman Andrey Kuteikin has been penalised for hooking
     
    20:28
    The second frame is go! SKA have been the better side so far, and Metallurg need to get their game on!
     
    20:01
    Start of 2nd period.
     
    Statistics after the opening period of play:

    Shots: 10-20
    Shots on target: 8-13
    Faceoffs: 8-4
    Hits: 7-5
    Penalty minutes: 4-0
     
    20:00
    1st period finished.
     
    19:51
    We're already into the final seconds of the first period, with SKA very much being in control here so far!
     
    17:29
    That was a rather strange decision, however Metallurg are now back at full strength having survived that particular scare
     
    16:22
    Andrey Kuteikin again winds up, and this time he fires straight into the right hand corner! But no! Evgeniy Dadonov has been adjudged to illegally distracted the goalkeeper on the slot, and the goal has been ruled off!
     
    15:29
    Kuteikin! Andrey Kuteikin is dished on his own between the circles, he has the net almost begging to be hit, and he contrives to slap directly into the netminder's chest!
     
    15:05
    Metallurg are making life more and more difficult for themselves, as they've taken a second penalty in a row! Captain Sergey Mozyakin is now the guilty party, as he has been found guilty of tripping
     
    13:08
    Icing is committed by Metallurg. The home crowd aren't really involved in the game as yet, SKA goaltender Mikko Koskinen hasn't touched the puck much at all
     
    11:17
    SKA are controlling the puck with expert ease so far, the tempo isn't particularly high however, as they are keeping possession well away from their own zone
     
    10:01
    The puck is squeezed into the crease from pinned up on the left hand boards, Tony Martensson tries his best to get something on it, and eventually it rolls into Vasiliy Koshechkin's grasp who covers
     
    09:34
    The hosts are very satisfied about striking first, every goal is crucial in games like these! Metallurg haven't quite settled into the game as yet
     
    06:45
    Goal for SKA!
    That's the perfect start from SKA who take an important lead! Neat build up play sets up ARTEMIY PANARIN on the left faceoff circle, and he brilliantly slams it high into the far corner! Powerplay goal and it's 0:1! Assists- Ilya Kovalchuk and Vadim Shipachyov
     
    06:00
    The first penalty has been called here and it's against the hosts, as their forward Maxim Yakutsenya for kneeing has been hit with a two minute minor
     
    05:01
    Chudinov! Maxim Chudinov drifts from the middle to the right all alone, but he makes the angle just too tight for himself as the netminder beats it around and into the boards with his glove!
     
    04:31
    SKA have their first effort on target as defenceman Roman Rukavishnikov tries his luck with a weak wrister from the right faceoff circle, and Vasiliy Koshechkin has no problem fending that off
     
    03:13
    Kosov! That was a great early opening for Metallurg to make an early breakthrough! Yaroslav Kosov picks up the puck slightly to the right of the crease, and is denied excellently by SKA goaltender Mikko Koskinen, making only his second appearance for his new club!
     
    01:08
    We're underway here inside the Arena Metallurg! SKA will be full of motivation to defeat the current champions today!
     
    00:01
    Game started.
     
    The Russian national anthem has now sounded, and we're all ready to get underway!
     
    Starting lineups:

    Metallurg Magnitogorsk: Koshechkin (Pechurskiy)- Antipin, Biryukov, Mozyakin, Zaripov, Kovar- Lee, Khabarov, Platonov, Osala, Grigorenko- Malenkikh, Ibragimov, Pare, Timkin, Yunkov- Tereshchenko, Kapetnik, Yakutsenya, Brent, Kosov

    SKA St. Petersburg: Koskinen (Ivannikov)- Chudinov, Belov, Kovalchuk, Tikhonov, Ericsson- Y Alexandrov, Kuteikin, Panarin, Shipachyov, Dadonov- Kalinin, Rukavishnikov, Thoresen, Martensson, Cervenka- Kadeikin, Ermakov, Burdasov, Kablukov, Ketov

    Referees: Vyacheslav Bulanov, Konstantin Olenin, Alexander Sadovnikov, Alexander Zakharenkov.
     
    Last season Metallurg went all the way to take the KHL title, whereas SKA made the conference semi finals.
     
    Metallurg are the reigning Gagarin Cup champions, but have been showing a rather unstable game of late, dropping to third place of the Eastern Conference on 71 points. SKA have also not been the most consistent, and trail CSKA Moscow by seven points in the overall KHL table.
     
    Good afternoon and welcome to this KHL regular season match between Metallurg Magnitogorsk and SKA Saint Petersburg. This is a true battle between two giants, and it's hard to make any predictions.
     
    Welcome. Game starts at 15:00.
    Commentary by

    Shaun Nicolaides

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 25. Lee (Mozyakin, Kovar), 57. Mozyakin (Antipin), 59. Zaripov, 63. Kovar – 7. Panarin (Kovalchuk, Shipachyov), 38. Cervenka (Martensson, Thoresen), 42. Dadonov (Panarin, Shipachyov)

    Metallurg Magnitogorsk: Koshechkin (Pechurskiy)- Antipin, Biryukov, Mozyakin, Zaripov, Kovar- Lee, Khabarov, Platonov, Osala, Grigorenko- Malenkikh, Ibragimov, Pare, Timkin, Yunkov- Tereshchenko, Kapetnik, Yakutsenya, Brent, Kosov
    SKA St. Petersburg: Koskinen (Ivannikov)- Chudinov, Belov, Kovalchuk, Tikhonov, Ericsson- Y Alexandrov, Kuteikin, Panarin, Shipachyov, Dadonov- Kalinin, Rukavishnikov, Thoresen, Martensson, Cervenka- Kadeikin, Ermakov, Burdasov, Kablukov, Ketov
    Referees: Vyacheslav Bulanov, Konstantin Olenin, Alexander Sadovnikov, Alexander Zakharenkov