KHL
SKA St. Petersburg – Torpedo 2:0 (end)
final
SKA St. Petersburg
2:0 (2:0, 0:0, 0:0)
Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod
Thursday 05.03.2015, 17:30 • Ice Palace of Saint Petersburg • KHL
     
    There is the final buzzer, and SKA Saint Petersburg have masterfully seen off the challenge of HC Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod 2:0 today and 4:1 in the series! They played to their strengths, and outclassed their opponents. Tony Martensson and Patrick Thoresen netted, with Mikko Koskinen picking up a shutout. Thanks for following the game with us, and see you again soon for more thrilling KHL action! (19:43:01)
     
    60:00
    Game over.
     
    59:53
    The closing moments are now upon us, with SKA on their way to a 2:0 victory today, and 4:1 in the series overall! They have shown their class when it was needed!
     
    58:07
    The whistle has been blown here as Torpedo have blown all their final chances of extending the series! It's a cheap one too, as it's for having too many men on the ice! Forward Vladimir Galuzin will sit this one out for his team
     
    57:23
    Jusso Hietanen winds up, slaps as hard as he can form the point, and it whistles over the crossbar as the goalkeeper was panicking!
     
    57:22
    Off a slapper from the point Alexey Potapov is stopped by Mikko Koskinen huge frame by the right post! And for their last roll of the dice Torpedo have taken a timeout with the puck in SKA's zone!
     
    56:30
    With still over three minutes to go Torpedo have pulled goaltender Ivan Kasutin for the extra skater! They had to do something!
     
    54:12
    A heavy slap shot sails over the right hand post with the help of Mikko Koskinen's pad! He wants to keep a hold of his shut out with not too much time remaining!
     
    52:42
    Panarin! That third goal simply won't go in! A juicy rebound falls at the stick of Artemiy Panarin on the doorstep, and he is shut down by a quite amazing Ivan Kasutin right pad save! He's giving his team a chance!
     
    50:51
    The hosts are passing up several opportunities to completely put this one away! It's a two on one, far post to the left Tony Martensson is dished, and he fires wide! The home fans inside the Saint Petersburg Ice Palace will become nervous!
     
    50:15
    Torpedo are pressing hard but without making Mikko Koskinen work as yet, SKA are looking focused at the back and defending in their own zone almost perfectly
     
    48:23
    Not long after Dmitriy Yudin's blast was blocked the young SKA defenceman crashes into teammate Evgeniy Ketov! The latter looks in serious pain following that incident!
     
    46:34
    Artemiy Panarin really is full of tricks! He outguns his markers on the right flank, wrists with feeling, and the netminder prevents a beautiful marker from flying in!
     
    45:35
    You can expect Torpedo to be the more urgent, they have just under fifteen minutes to somehow save their season and keep the series alive!
     
    44:03
    As Ivan Kasutin makes a couple of smart stops off Nikolay Belov efforts from the high slot Torpedo come back to full strength. SKA should really have done more on that extended powerplay, and need that third and ensuring goal
     
    42:02
    Shipachyov! All alone to the right of the crease Vadim Shipachyov one times it, and he smacks the near post! The goalkeeper was helpless there!
     
    40:23
    Kovalchuk! Ilya Kovalchuk really does want to score today as he takes on a slapper from distance, and Ivan Kasutin gets everything behind it to hold on!
     
    40:01
    The puck has dropped for the third and vital period! And remember that SKA are on the powerplay for a further 04:03 as they aim to close out the series!
     
    40:01
    Start of 3rd period.
     
    Statistics after the first two periods:

    Shots: 38-29
    Shots on target: 24-16
    Faceoffs: 12-21
    Hits: 11-15
    Penalty minutes: 6-31
     
    40:00
    2nd period finished.
     
    39:51
    The last few moments of the second period are now here, with the hosts ready to begin the third still on the powerplay for another four minutes!
     
    39:03
    A check to the head has been spotted by the referee and it's a huge penalty against Torpedo! Torpedo's Nikita Dvurehenskiy has been chucked out of the game with a 5+20 punishment, and he really has injured Dinar Khafizullin!
     
    38:35
    Burdasov! What a chance to make it three! Anton Burdasov has too much pace for Torpedo's defence, he cuts to the backhand, and can't force it beyond Ivan Kasutin!
     
    36:16
    Anton Belov slaps from the blue line, Ivan Kasutin's right pad kicks it out, and then seconds later Artemiy Panarin can't beat the goalkeeper when having too much time to make a decision on the slot! The chances are coming thick and fast!
     
    34:24
    After another seriously good Mikko Koskinen save from up close Ilya Kovalchuk pours away on the counter, shapes to shoot on the left, and doesn't miss the far post by much!
     
    33:53
    For the first time in the match SKA are coming under serious pressure, and they will be happy to see Maxim Chudinov skating back out onto the ice
     
    33:35
    Hietanen! Torpedo have taken over the initiative for sure now! The puck falls back to Jusso Hietanen at the point, and his one timer is gloved by the netminder!
     
    31:53
    Torpedo have still worked a penalty out of SKA however, as Maxim Chudinov has been penalised for slashing against his opponent
     
    31:11
    Just how didn't that go in, wow! Mikko Koskinen makes a stunning point blank range save, and then then Wojtek Wolski's rebound is heroically blocked by both Dmitriy Yudin and Andrey Ermakov on the line!
     
    30:48
    On a pacy Torpedo breakaway Sakari Salminen takes a blast, and with his blocker Mikko Koskinen beats it away! That was hit with some power!
     
    29:07
    Cervenka! Ilya Kovalchuk masterfully picks out Roman Cervenka on the opposite left flank, the Czech closes down, however the imposing Ivan Kasutin get enough on it to keep it out!
     
    27:47
    Not an awful lot was created by Torpedo during that time, and the hosts are back to full strength having defending on that penalty kill solidly
     
    25:47
    Out of virtually nothing Torpedo have been handed a very handy powerplay, as Dinar Khafizullin has been punished for interference
     
    24:30
    Torpedo will be very relieved to come back to full strength as Maxim Chudinov slapped wide of the left post, and they will look to not give any more fouls away
     
    24:04
    A completely open net is missed by Ilya Kovalchuk! All alone directly on the left faceoff circle he fails to hit the target with Ivan Kasutin falling all over the place! He got away with that one!
     
    22:30
    Ilya Kovalchuk is chopped down when speeding through, and Torpedo aren't going to get away with that! Sergey Bernatskiy is the guilty party for tripping, and he has been handed a two minute minor
     
    21:09
    Finnish Torpedo defenceman Jusso Hietanen whacks the puck in from the blue line, and with no one around him Mikko Koskinen easily plucks it out of the air to freeze
     
    20:19
    The second stanza is go! Despite being two up SKA need another to feel even more at ease inside the Saint Petersburg Ice Palace!
     
    20:01
    Start of 2nd period.
     
    Statistics after the opening period of play:

    Shots: 22-11
    Shots on target: 14-7
    Faceoffs: 9-11
    Hits: 6-8
    Penalty minutes: 2-4
     
    20:00
    1st period finished.
     
    19:45
    Evgeniy Mozer tries his luck when surrounded blocker side, and Mikko Koskinen has no trouble taking it in. Already the final seconds of the first period are here, with SKA firmly in control so far!
     
    17:57
    Now Evgeniy Ketov works himself into an excellent position on the right, and can fire only into Ivan Kasutin's chest! Torpedo are simply all over the place at the back, and have to take the sting out of the game!
     
    16:52
    Goal for SKA!
    They are simply so clinical with a man's advantage! Maxim Chudinov wrists in from the point, and PATRICK THORESEN deftly tips it in! Powerplay goal and it's 2:0! Assists- Roman Cervenka and Maxim Chudinov
     
    16:15
    The visitors are looking ropy at the back already and have taken an unneeded penalty! For hooking Alexey Pepelyaev has been called, and SKA can keep the heat on!
     
    14:18
    Goal for SKA!
    Lift off for SKA! It's a two on one down the right, TONY MARTENSSON takes aim himself, and hits the far corner expertly! It's 1:0! Assists- Patrick Thoresen and Yury Alexandrov
     
    12:40
    SKA are upping the tempo now that's for sure! Ilya Kovalchuk wrists with venom from the doorstep, and Torpedo are very lucky to see that fly off target glove side! He should really have scored!
     
    11:11
    Dadonov! Artemiy Panarin flashes the puck across from the right, Evgeniy Dadonov pokes out his stick, and it comes off the woodwork! That was so close to going in for SKA!
     
    10:10
    Yudin! The puck pops out to Dmitriy Yudin on the left faceoff circle, he slaps first time, and Ivan Kasutin has to make his first serious stop of the day diving!
     
    08:51
    Space is found in between the circles by Sergey Bernatskiy, he wrists with trickery, and SKA defencemen do very well as to charge it down at source!
     
    07:01
    Dmitriy Kazionov for Torpedo shows power shielding the puck with the backhand on the right, attempts to catch out the goalkeeper near post, however Mikko Koskinen is alert
     
    04:20
    That penalty time went very quickly, and it's a full strength game again. The pace isn't particularly high yet, with Torpedo surprisingly seeing more of the puck
     
    03:34
    Dinar Khafizullin speeds down the left wing, wrists from a rather awkward angle, and Torpedo goalkeeper Ivan Kasutin comfortably sticks it wide
     
    02:20
    And for that scrap it's going to be a four on four game for a couple of minutes, as Alexey Potapov and Dmitriy Yudin of SKA have been punished for roughing
     
    02:20
    Home netminder Mikko Koskinen holds on to a dump from deep as its been a quiet start here. However Torpedo's Alexey Potapov loses his helmet here, as tempers already rise on both sides!
     
    00:19
    Here we go! SKA need to finish the job today, while Torpedo won't be passive passengers!
     
    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)- N Belov, Kalinin, Kovalchuk, Ericsson, Cervenka- Y Alexandrov, Khafizullin, Panarin, Shipachyov, Dadonov- Chudinov, A Belov, Thoresen, Martensson, Khokhryakov- Ermakov, Yudin, Burdasov, Kablukov, Ketov

    Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod: Kasutin (Biryukov)- Pepelyaev, Hietanen, Salminen, Immonen, Wolski- Bernatskiy, Osipov, Denis Kazionov, Galuzin, Krasnoslobodtsev- Malevich, Alyaev, Mozer, Dmitriy Kazionov, Stolyarov- Makarov, Knyazev, Potapov- Dvurechenskiy, Rudenkov

    Referees: Alexey Anisimov, Vyacheslav Bulanov, Dmitriy Golyak, Ivan Dedyulya.
     
    Today's hosts SKA finished in second place of the KHL Western Conference, with Torpedo down in seventh.
     
    SKA have been reasonably solid during the series so far, and two wins in Nizhny Novgorod 4:2 and 3:1 respectively have left them one win away from going through. Their opponents Torpedo have just the one victory so far, 2:1 away after dropping the first match 3:6.
     
    Hello and welcome to this KHL Gagarin Cup first round playoff match between SKA Saint Petersburg and HC Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. SKA are on the brink of the second round, and will be pumped up to finish the series today.
     
    Welcome. Game starts at 17:30.
    Commentary by

    Shaun Nicolaides

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 15. Martensson (Thoresen, Alexandrov), 17. Thoresen (Cervenka, Chudinov)

    SKA St. Petersburg: Koskinen (Ezhov)- N Belov, Kalinin, Kovalchuk, Ericsson, Cervenka- Y Alexandrov, Khafizullin, Panarin, Shipachyov, Dadonov- Chudinov, A Belov, Thoresen, Martensson, Khokhryakov- Ermakov, Yudin, Burdasov, Kablukov, Ketov
    Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod: Kasutin (Biryukov)- Pepelyaev, Hietanen, Salminen, Immonen, Wolski- Bernatskiy, Osipov, Denis Kazionov, Galuzin, Krasnoslobodtsev- Malevich, Alyaev, Mozer, Dmitriy Kazionov, Stolyarov- Makarov, Knyazev, Potapov- Dvurechenskiy, Rudenkov
    Referees: Alexey Anisimov, Vyacheslav Bulanov, Dmitriy Golyak, Ivan Dedyulya
    Attendance: 12398