PET 3:1 RIG | SKA St. Petersburg - Dinamo Riga (KHL)

KHL

Novokuznetsk – Barys

3:2 (1:0 after SO)

SKA St. Petersburg – Riga

3:1 (end)

final

SKA St. Petersburg Rusko

3:1 (0:1, 0:0, 3:0)

Dinamo Riga

Wednesday 11.02.2015, 17:30 • Ice Palace of Saint Petersburg • KHL

		That was pulsating stuff, as SKA Saint Petersburg have defeated Dinamo Riga 3:1 in heroic fashion! They burst into life in the third period, completely destroying their opponents. Tony Martensson, Roman Cervenka and Jimmie Ericsson struck for the winners, with Lauris Darzins scoring Dinamo's only goal. Thanks for following the game with us, and see you again soon for more exciting KHL action! (19:58:01)
	60:00	Game over.
	59:56	For just one last twist Mikko Koskinen sees the puck take a nick off his left post, Dinamo kept on going right to the very end!
	59:44	With the deal now firmly sealed both sides are now playing out the final seconds, what an absolute thriller it has been today! True drama!
	57:43	Goal for SKA! Wow, just listen to the noise inside the arena, everyone has breathed a sigh of relief! Maxim Chudinov blasts seriously powerfully from the point, and JIMMIE ERICSSON expertly tips home! Powerplay goal and it's 3:1! Assists- Maxim Chudinov
	56:16	Ilya Kovalchuk absolutely thunders the puck in from the blue line, and he doesn't miss the far left post by much! A third SKA goal would surely kill it now!
	55:55	Evgeniy Dadonov is completely taken out here, that looked painful! Dinamo can't hide their frustration as star forward Lauris Darzins has indeed been sent to the penalty box for interference
	55:01	Rather unexpectedly SKA have handed the initiative right back to Dinamo, it's the visitors dictating the pace of the game as the minutes tick by!
	52:59	The Latvian visitors did a brilliant job of holding the puck well out of their own zone though, and they're back at full strength. What a nervous ending we have coming up here, with the difference still only one goal!
	50:59	Dinamo are in danger of going under now, they cannot cope at all with the immense pressure that they are coming under! And forward Martins Cipulis has taken a needless penalty for roughing, and in reaction the Dinamo fans inside the ground have turned their back to the ice!
	49:39	Goal for SKA! Liftoff for SKA! This is what they have been working for! Anton Burdasov dishes to ROMAN CERVENKA lurking to the right of the slot, and he makes no mistake! It's 2:1! Assists- Anton Burdasov
	49:10	Martensson! He's looking for his second! On a lightning quick breakaway Ilya Kovalchuk plays in Tony Martensson speeding down the right wing, and the latter's wrister is well taken by Jakub Sedlacek!
	48:01	However SKA's goaltender Mikko Koskinen rather strangely emerges from his net, and quite acrobatically beats away a terrible deflection off one of his defencemen!
	47:29	Icing is committed by SKA. Dinamo have to be patient now, they know that they are going to come under even more pressure as time winds on!
	45:21	The Saint Petersburg Ice Palace has taken life now, the atmosphere has been turned up! And SKA's Swedish forward Jimmie Ericsson wrists strongly into Jakub Sedlacek's chest from a promising position on the right
	44:51	Goal for SKA! Finally! That has been coming for an extremely long time now! Directly off the faceoff draw on the left TONY MARTENSSON wrists, and he goes water-bottle on Jakub Sedlacek! It's 1:1! Assists- Ilya Kovalchuk
	44:46	Following rather messy puck movement Andrey Kuteikin winds up from the left, and his effort takes a heavy deflection and rolls out of play
	43:22	Ketov! Evgeniy Ketov has a bit of room for himself on the left, however his wrister near post isn't the most challenging for the netminder to take
	42:34	SKA split Dinamo's defence open on the right flank, and Anton Burdasov's feed to the free Viktor Tikhonov is intercepted by Jakub Sedlacek's sneaky left pad!
	40:44	Mikko Koskinen completely loses his balance behind his own net, and he has to rely on his defencemen to bail him out! That could have been ugly!
	40:31	The third, and deciding period, has started! SKA have to do everything to finally score, while Dinamo's tactics are working a treat so far!
	40:01	Start of 3rd period.
		Statistics after 40 minutes of play: Shots: 41-33 Shots on target: 24-20 Faceoffs: 22-17 Hits: 23-13 Penalty shots: 12-10
	40:00	2nd period finished.
	39:51	As Dinamo are back at full strength again, and with the second period now finishing it's shaping up to be a thrilling third!
	39:46	And seconds later Mikko Koskinen, bundling around by his right post, somehow keeps the puck from going in from close range! What danger here!
	39:16	Up skates Gints Meija, and cutting blocker side he fails to sneak the puck under Mikko Koskinen! We play on still at 0:1!
	39:16	It's a penalty shot for Dinamo! Maxim Chudinov tipped Gints Meija down when he was bursting away, and the referee has indicated a penalty shot!
	38:22	Andrey Kuteikin opts to slap fiercely from distance, and with bodies closing him down the netminder covers it up cleverly
	37:09	And SKA have been gifted a promising powerplay opportunity! Dinamo's Kristaps Redlihs has been called for interference, and in doing so has made life harder for his side!
	36:55	Those couple of minutes flew by like a flash, and SKA are back at full strength. The next goal in this one will surely prove to be crucial, as it really is all on the line!
	36:19	Tikhonov! Shorthanded Viktor Tikhonov powers away, breaks to the left, and can only wrist into Jakub Sedlacek's stomach!
	35:50	Oskars Cibulskis winds up at the blue line, thumps in through traffic, and Mikko Koskinen puts his big left hand out to gather it in
	34:55	And we have a fight on our hands! SKA's fired up captain fully goes at it against Charles Genoway of Dinamo, and it's once again Dinamo who will have a man's advantage as Ilya Kovalchuk has also been penalised for kneeing!
	34:42	Chudinov! How, just how didn't he score! All alone on the doorstep Maxim Chudinov can hit only the right post! He had the goal practically at his mercy!
	34:05	SKA's Czech forward Roman Cervenka pokes the puck across glove side, and looking slightly nervy Jakub Sedlacek kills the danger by freezing
	32:34	Dinamo are having to dig deep now, although they do have five players on the ice again. The hosts are more like their old selves now, but so many chances are coming and going!
	31:32	Roman Cervenka now wrists gently into Jakub Sedlacek's glove from an identical position. Dinamo's goaltender is the only difference between these two teams at the moment, he's getting behind everything!
	31:18	Patient combination play ends with Tony Martensson ripping from a fantastic position to the right of the crease, however he blazes his effort wide! He simply had to hit the target!
	30:34	The rampant hosts have drawn a second penalty from Dinamo here, as for tripping against Vadim Shipachyov Kaspars Saulietis has been sent for a two minute sit down
	30:01	Dzerins! Just as I said that Dinamo came close to their second! Andris Dzerins escapes his marker, closes down stick side, and fires directly into Mikko Koskinen's huge frame!
	29:21	It is now a full strength game again. Dinamo aren't being given anywhere near so much time with possession as in the first, as SKA are doing their best to force the issue!
	27:20	In the aftermath of that attempt SKA's captain dropped the gloves with Kristaps Redlihs, and Ilya Kovalchuk has been handed four minutes making it an important Dinamo powerplay!
	27:19	Kovalchuk! From the right Ilya Kovalchuk is teed up waiting at the high slot, and he thunders the puck over the crossbar! SKA are coming closer and closer, you can feel the panic coursing through them!
	25:09	Now it's Dinamo's turn to have a threatening breakaway, a teammate is fed far post to the right, and only Mikko Koskinen's shoulder gets in the way of it! The chances are coming thick and fast at both ends!
	23:28	Patrick Thoresen pulls away on a two on two, peels to the right, centers it, and the puck trickles all the way through and out of danger! SKA are going hard at it now!
	22:28	Jakub Sedlacek's right post now looks to be smashed! The netminder didn't have a clue where that one was, and he got lucky!
	22:02	The loose puck rolls to Maxim Chudinov's up by the right boards, he draws his stick back, however it's at a nice height for the goaltender to catch
	21:32	Home forward Anton Burdasov then tries his luck with a low slap shot from between the circles, and Jakub Sedlacek very neatly sweeps it up into his glove
	21:29	Dadonov! The battling Vadim Shipachyov robs his opponent of the puck on the left, squares for Evgeniy Dadonov, and the latter's first timer is covered!
	20:57	The second frame has begun! SKA are in a sticky situation at one down, and need to turn it around as soon as they can!
	20:01	Start of 2nd period.
		Statistics after the first period: Shots: 14-24 Shots on target: 9-15 Faceoffs: 8-8 Hits: 12-7 Penalty minutes: 4-2
	20:00	1st period finished.
	19:44	The opening period is now in its final seconds, with the visitors in charge so far!
	18:49	Alexandrov! Yury Alexandrov attempts to make up for his earlier mistakes with a slap shot from the left wing, and near post Jakub Sedlacek fields solidly!
	18:15	SKA did kill that penalty better though, and they're back at full strength. The initiative is with Dinamo at the moment, as the puck is trapped in SKA's zone!
	17:13	Videll! The Latvians are visibly pumped up today, and they are carving out some brilliant chances! Linus Videll is left all alone on the right faceoff circle, and he's stoned by Mikko Koskinen's pads!
	16:15	The hosts really are ragged at the back, and after yet another poor error a penalty has been taken! And again it's Yury Alexandrov, as he is punished for tripping
	15:15	Meija! Gints Meija stretches out for the puck as it bobbles by the right post, off balance he still gets a shot away, and at the second attempt the goaltender gets something on it!
	13:33	Chaos then erupts from the following faceoff, Mikko Koskinen deals with the initial slapped puck, however he is lucky that no one could reach the ensuing rebound!
	13:30	Dinamo battle down into SKA's zone, no one can get towards it, and Mikko Koskinen is forced to cover for a faceoff in his end
	12:09	A brilliantly found opening by the right post goes begging as its thrashed wide of the target completely! And Dinamo, surviving that particular scare, will be very relieved to come back to full strength!
	10:56	Defenceman Maxim Chudinov throws in a couple of mighty slap shots, and Jakub Sedlacek has been tested by them both! Now he's having work to do!
	10:37	Cervenka! Roman Cervenka and Patrick Thoresen combine brilliantly between the circles, and the former from a tough angle slaps into the goalkeeper's waiting grasp!
	10:09	However Dinamo have taken the wind out of their own sails, as Andris Dzerins has been penalised for delaying the game! It's an ideal chance for SKA to create pressure!
	09:25	By his glove Jakub Sedlacek sees a tricky puck be squeezed in, and he dives on it confidently. SKA haven't got going at all yet, and their home fans won't want to panic!
	07:32	Goal for Dinamo Riga! Dinamo have begun brightly and there's their reward! Clever tender build up play tees up LAURIS DARZINS to the left of the crease, and he goes top shelf far corner! It's 0:1! Assists- Maris Bicevskis and Miks Indrasis
	05:10	As Yury Alexandrov skates back out on to the ice Mikko Koskinen makes a huge save from the doorstep! A huge slap shot was thundered in, and somehow the SKA netminder got across glove side!
	04:27	Cibulskis! Oskars Cibulskis frees himself up at the high slot, slaps with all his might, and Mikko Koskinen flashes leather expertly to take charge of the situation!
	03:33	Off a tight angle to the left the puck is wristed in dangerously, and flailing around on the goal line Mikko Koskinen claws it away! That was close to sneaking in!
	03:10	The first penalty has been called here and it's against SKA, as defenceman Yury Alexandrov has been found guilty of tripping
	02:25	SKA's Anton Burdasov dumps the puck in from just inside the attacking zone, and the netminder catches comfortably. Today's hosts are generally always fast starters, as they like to stamp their authority!
	01:58	Thoresen! Patrick Thoresen powering on to the right faceoff circle is fed, he wrists powerfully, and Jakub Sedlacek gets everything behind it to cover!
	00:38	Here we go! SKA need to recuperate in front of their home fans, while Dinamo have to get some points!
	00:01	Game started.
		The teams are now skating out on to the ice, and after the Russian and Latvian national anthems we'll be getting underway!
		Starting lineups: SKA St. Petersburg: Koskinen (Ezhov)- Kalinin, Rukavishnikov, Kovalchuk, Ericsson, Cervenka- Y Alexandrov, Kuteikin, Panarin, Shipachyov, Dadonov- Ermakov, Yudin, Burdasov, Khokhryakov, Ketov Dinamo Riga: Sedlacek (Delauriers)- K Redlihs, Cibulskis, Bukarts, Videll, M Redlihs- Genoway, Grinbergs, Darzins, Trotter, Indrasis- Sotnieks, Jerofejevs, Dzerins, Abols, Meija- Porejs, Saulietis, Bicevskis, Cipulis- Skovortsovs Referees: Yury Ronn, Alexander Soin, Dmitriy Parfyonov, Viktor Tomilov.
		This will already be the fourth game against each other this season, with SKA winning 2:1 in Saint Petersburg and 3:2 in Riga, and Dinamo claiming the one victory in the Latvian capital 4:2.
		SKA have not had the best few games at all, and find themselves losing ground on league leaders CSKA Moscow in second place of the Western Conference with 115 points. Their opponents today Dinamo Riga are losing hope of a playoff spot in eleventh of the same conference they have only 71 points to show for their efforts.
		Good afternoon and welcome to this KHL regular season match between SKA Saint Petersburg and Dinamo Riga. These two know each other inside and out, and no surprise will be on show today.
		Welcome. Game starts at 17:30.

Commentary by

Shaun Nicolaides

Goals & lineups Match log

Goals and assists: 45. Martensson (Kovalchuk), 50. Cervenka (Burdasov), 58. Ericsson (Chudinov) – 8. Darzins (Bicevskis, Indrasis)

SKA St. Petersburg: Koskinen (Ezhov)- Kalinin, Rukavishnikov, Kovalchuk, Ericsson, Cervenka- Y Alexandrov, Kuteikin, Panarin, Shipachyov, Dadonov- Ermakov, Yudin, Burdasov, Khokhryakov, Ketov

Dinamo Riga: Sedlacek (Delauriers)- K Redlihs, Cibulskis, Bukarts, Videll, M Redlihs- Genoway, Grinbergs, Darzins, Trotter, Indrasis- Sotnieks, Jerofejevs, Dzerins, Abols, Meija- Porejs, Saulietis, Bicevskis, Cipulis- Skovortsovs

Referees: Yury Ronn, Alexander Soin, Dmitriy Parfyonov, Viktor Tomilov

Attendance: 12098

1st period
	03:10
	07:32
	10:09
	16:15
1st intermission
2nd period
	27:20
	30:34
	34:55
	37:09
	39:16
2nd intermission
3rd period
	44:51
	49:39
	50:59
	55:55
	57:43
Final