KHL
SKA St. Petersburg – Ak Bars 1:5 (end)
final
SKA St. Petersburg
1:5 (0:2, 1:1, 0:2)
Ak Bars Kazan
Monday 09.02.2015, 17:30 • Ice Palace of Saint Petersburg • KHL
     
    There is the final buzzer, and Ak Bars Kazan have taken SKA Saint Petersburg to town 6:1 away! The score doesn't reflect the game, however Ak Bars were the more clinical. Oscar Moller, Sheldon Brookbank, Mikhail Varnakov and Petr Vrana with a double struck for the victors, with Evgeniy Dadonov replying for SKA. Thanks for following the game with us, and see you again soon for more thrilling KHL action! (19:55:09)
     
    60:00
    Game over.
     
    59:59
    Ak Bars have the puck in the net for their sixth, but no! They didn't score in time, so they do indeed take away a thumping 5:1 triumph from their travels!
     
    58:50
    A couple of efforts were dumped in from the blue line, and the goalkeeper has no trouble in making the saves as Ak Bars come back to full strength. They have been so effective today!
     
    57:45
    Defenceman Andrey Kuteikin skates back to the blue line, lashes it through traffic building up on the crease, and Anders Nilsson comfortably takes it in
     
    56:50
    The penalties keep on coming! SKA's Roman Cervenka got his helmet knocked off, and Sheldon Brookbank of the visitors has been penalised for roughing
     
    55:20
    Despite the lopsided scoreline you have to give the home crowd credit, as they are continuing to get behind their team! It's going to be a four on four game for now, as Patrick Thoresen and Mikhail Glukhov for roughing against each other
     
    53:33
    Goal for Ak Bars!
    It really isn't SKA's day today! With the defence missing PETR VRANA is free one on one, and he goes five hole on the goaltender! It's 1:5! Assists- Vasiliy Tokranov and Sergey Kostitsyn
     
    53:14
    Cervenka! That was a seriously good chance to make it a real contest! Roman Cervenka cleans up the loose change on the tip of the slot, and he's denied by an amazing Anders Nilsson glove save!
     
    52:45
    Thoresen! Patrick Thoresen outmuscles his opponent stick side, wrists with feeling, and Anders Nilsson is solid fielding it!
     
    50:28
    It's another missed opportunity for SKA however, and their opponents are back at full strength. They are running out of chances to give Ak Bars a fright heading into the closing stages!
     
    48:28
    Again a penalty has been called, things are getting rough here now! Ak Bars' Alexander Burmistrov is the next to be penalised, this time hooking
     
    47:55
    Ak Bars work the puck to a promising position on the left, it's slapped in with force, and Mikko Koskinen sweeps it up into his glove
     
    47:05
    Not much was created in SKA's zone during that time though, and they have their full quota of players on the ice. They have to get going soon, as time begins to run down!
     
    45:05
    The referee is on his way to the penalty box, and he sends SKA's Patrick Thoresen there too for cross checking. The home side could do without that now!
     
    44:23
    Vadim Shipachyov powers down the left wing, pulls all the way around the net, and it bullied out of the way when shaping to shoot! That looked promising for a second!
     
    41:51
    SKA have a huge job on their hands if they are to get back into things, Ak Bars are so clinical today and are picking their opponents off!
     
    40:42
    Goal for Ak Bars!
    SKA are simply all over the place at the back! Roman Rukavishnikov terribly turns over the puck by his own net, and MIKHAIL VARNAKOV backhands in to the right of the crease! It's 1:4! Assists- Justin Azevedo
     
    40:01
    Start of 3rd period.
     
    Statistics after the first two periods:

    Shots: 25-29
    Shots on target: 16-15
    Faceoffs: 22-16
    Hits: 25-26
    Penalty minutes: 4-18
     
    40:00
    2nd period finished.
     
    39:37
    The final seconds of the second stanza are now upon us, and SKA have it all to do moving on into the third!
     
    37:56
    SKA couldn't create an awful lot during that time, and it's a full strength hockey game again
     
    37:39
    Cervenka! Roman Cervenka holds the puck falling to the right, whips it through a mass of bodies, and at the second attempt the goalkeeper gathers it!
     
    36:28
    On a pacy counterattack Artemiy Panarin wrists from a tight angle glove side, and Anders Nilsson gets his pads in the way to kick it out!
     
    35:56
    Out of nothing another penalty has been issued against the visitors, as for holding forward Mikhail Varnakov has been punished
     
    34:45
    Ilya Kovalchuk spins around the net to the right, and shoots directly into the goaltender's chest. SKA will be very disappointed to having conceded again, especially as it came with them all over Ak Bars!
     
    33:17
    Goal for Ak Bars!
    With SKA's defenceman out of the picture with a broken stick Ak Bars strike their third! SHELDON BROOKBANK on the left wing wrists high, and it sails over Mikko Koskinen's glove! It's 1:3! Assists- Oscar Moller
     
    32:57
    Belov! Nikolay Belov goes for a slap shot on the right faceoff circle, and his stick breaks on him at the vital moment!
     
    32:34
    The puck is dumped into the crease from deep, and Anders Nilsson takes no risks with freezing. However tempers do raise in the aftermath, and the referees manage to break everything up in time!
     
    31:15
    Ak Bars are struggling to get out of their own zone, SKA are doing an excellent job of giving them no room in which to move. Mikko Koskinen isn't doing a lot at the other end!
     
    28:15
    The visitors have survived that particular scare, and are back at full strength. They're under siege right now, and are hanging on by the skin of their teeth!
     
    26:31
    Anders Nilsson sees his right post being slapped against! That was almost a tied game immediately, SKA are full of adrenaline now!
     
    26:15
    Oh dear, just what is happening to Ak Bars! They're losing the plot! Another silly penalty has been taken, as for delaying the game Vasiliy Torkanov has been penalised!
     
    25:45
    Goal for SKA!
    Now SKA have something to kick off from! From behind the net on the left EVGENIY DADONOV is picked out on the doorstep, and he hits the jackpot! Powerplay goal and it's 1:2! Assists- Andrey Kuteikin and Artemiy Panarin
     
    25:18
    Kuteikin! Andrey Kuteikin winds up for a massive slapper, and Anders Nilsson bats it out of play with his blocker! He saw that all the way!
     
    25:05
    And that has very promptly become a five on three for SKA! Ilya Nikulin has been called for holding, and this is an opportunity that the hosts can't afford to pass up on!
     
    24:28
    The hosts have been handed a huge powerplay chance here to get back into things, as Ak Bars forward Justin Azevedo has been hit with a 2+10 penalty for checking to the head!
     
    23:55
    Varnakov! Mikhail Varnakov frees himself directly down the middle, takes aim, and Mikko Koskinen beats it away brilliantly with his blocker!
     
    22:51
    Yury Alexandrov takes aim from the blue line, and with not too much traffic in front of him the puck travels through into the boards
     
    21:25
    SKA can now breath a sigh of relief as Dmitriy Kalinin skates back into the action. The hosts haven't looked like themselves yet, and need to step it up a gear!
     
    21:02
    Obukhov! Away forward Dmitriy Obukhov catches the SKA defence on the left flank, slaps seriously hard, and Mikko Koskinen gets everything behind it to hold on!
     
    20:36
    The second stanza is go! And remember that Ak Bars still have a man's advantage for 01:25 as they look to increase their advantage!
     
    20:01
    Start of 2nd period.
     
    Statistics after the opening period of play:

    Shots: 10-15
    Shots on target: 5-8
    Faceoffs: 10-10
    Hits: 16-16
    Penalty minutes: 4-0
     
    20:00
    1st period finished.
     
    19:51
    The first period is now drawing to a close, with Ak Bars fully in control and preparing to begin the second on the powerplay!
     
    19:25
    There was a foul in that play however, and SKA's Dmitriy Kalinin has been handed a two minute minor for hooking
     
    19:25
    Nikulin! Ilya Nikulin is dished on the doorstep, and he's stoned by Mikko Koskinen! He had the goal in his sights all alone!
     
    17:31
    SKA are now finally upping the tempo, more and more pressure is getting put on the Ak Bars defence! It has to be said though that the away side's defence does look solid so far
     
    14:38
    It's a two on one for SKA again on the right, Artemiy Panarin closes down, but he opts to pass instead of shooting and it comes to nothing! His teammate Evgeniy Dadonov should have done better there!
     
    13:35
    Patrick Thoresen outpaces his opponent on right flank, wrists high, and Anders Nilsson makes a confident catch to kill the danger
     
    12:52
    Ak Bars forward Mikhail Varnakov tricks his way down the right, opts to backhand from close range, and the puck brushes Mikko Koskinen and drops wide
     
    11:19
    Maxim Chudinov charges into Ak Bars' zone, takes up possession, and wrists his powerful shot into the many bodies covering
     
    10:35
    The Saint Petersburg Ice Palace's support seems to be in shock, they really didn't expect such a start from their heroes!
     
    09:56
    Ericsson! That was an ideal chance to get SKA on the board! Jimmie Ericsson is teed up on the right of the slot, and he fails to get the better of Anders Nilsson!
     
    07:08
    Goal for Ak Bars!
    The hosts are in real trouble now! The puck is dumped in from the right hand boards, and PETR VRANA deftly deflects it in! It's 0:2! Assists- Sergey Kostitsyn and Igor Mirnov
     
    06:40
    Swedish forward Tony Martensson bursts into the attacking zone, and is then called offside. SKA could do with getting on their game soon, it's very comfortable for the away defence at the moment!
     
    04:49
    Young SKA defenceman Andrey Ermakov takes a slap from the blue line, and opponents in front of him deflect it up and out of play
     
    04:28
    The upper hand is definitely with the visitors so far, as SKA cannot get into the attacking zone at all! The home fans don't like this too much!
     
    03:29
    Goal for Ak Bars!
    They weren't going to let that opportunity go to waste! Clever build up play tees up OSCAR MOLLER on the left faceoff circle, and he thumps it in! Powerplay goal and it's 0:1! Assists- Sergey Kostitsyn and Mikhail Varnakov
     
    02:29
    The first penalty has been called here and it's against the hosts, as SKA forward Pyotr Khokhryakov is guilty of kneeing
     
    02:02
    And now the huge SKA netminder flashes leather to catch a rising wrister glove side. His team will be expected to hold the initiative today, with Ak Bars relying on counterattacks
     
    01:51
    Ak Bars get the first attempt on goal away, as Mikko Koskinen gently taps a backhanded effort away by his right post
     
    00:49
    Here we go! SKA always love to win at home, while their opponents are very strong!
     
    00:01
    Game started.
     
    The teams are now being presented to the expectant crowd, and after the Russian national anthem we'll be getting underway!
     
    Starting lineups:

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

    Ak Bars Kazan: Nilsson (Garipov)- Rylov, Denisov, Lukoyanov, Svitov, Koltsov- Korneev, Nikulin, Moller, Azevedo, Varnakov- Torkanov, Brookbank, Kostitsyn, Vrana, Mirnov- Paigin, Obukhov, Burmistrov, Glukhov

    Referees: Roman Gofman, Anatoily Zakharov, Dmitriy Sivov, Sergey Shelyanin.
     
    These two have already met this campaign, with Ak Bars coming out on top 3:1 in Kazan.
     
    SKA are battling away to keep a hold of second place in the Western Conference, and with 115 points they are just in front of close rivals Jokerit and Dynamo Moscow. Their opponents today Ak Bars are in a solid first of the Eastern Conference, and have won four our of their past five encounters.
     
    Hello and welcome to this KHL regular season match between SKA Saint Petersburg and Ak Bars Kazan. This is a real heavyweight clash, with both teams among the KHL big hitters.
     
    Welcome. Game starts at 17:30.
    Commentary by

    Shaun Nicolaides

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 26. Dadonov (Kuteikin, Panarin) – 4. Moller (Kotsitsyn, Varnakov), 8. Vrana (Kostitsyn, Mirnov), 34. Brookbank (Moller), 41. Varnakov (Azevedo), 54. Vrana (Tokranov, Kostitsyn)

    SKA St. Petersburg: Koskinen (Ezhov)- Kalinin, Rukavishnikov, Kovalchuk, Ericsson, Cervenka- Y Alexandrov, Kuteikin, Panarin, Shipachyov, Dadonov- Chudinov, N Belov, Thoresen, Martensson, Tikhonov- Ermakov, Yudin, Khokhryakov, Kablukov, Ketov
    Ak Bars Kazan: Nilsson (Garipov)- Rylov, Denisov, Lukoyanov, Svitov, Koltsov- Korneev, Nikulin, Moller, Azevedo, Varnakov- Torkanov, Brookbank, Kostitsyn, Vrana, Mirnov- Paigin, Obukhov, Burmistrov, Glukhov
    Referees: Roman Gofman, Anatoily Zakharov, Dmitriy Sivov, Sergey Shelyanin