KHL
SKA St. Petersburg – Dynamo 3:2 (after OT)
final/OT
SKA St. Petersburg
3:2 (1:0, 0:0, 1:2 - 1:0)
Dynamo Moscow
Wednesday 18.03.2015, 17:30 • The Ice Palace of Saint Petersburg • KHL
     
    With that dramatic overtime winner SKA Saint Petersburg have indeed beaten HC Dynamo Moscow 3:2 today, and 4:1 in the series overall! They have been simply brilliant during the series, and fully deserve to move on to the next round. Vadim Shipachyov, Anton Belov and Evgeniy Dadonov netted their goals, with Maxim Karpov and Sergey Soin replying for Dynamo. Thanks for following the game with us, and see you again soon for more thrilling KHL action! (23:06:32)
     
    Game over.
     
    69:31
    Goal for SKA!
    Goal! SKA have finally beaten their old foes Dynamo Moscow! A quite beautiful combination play is finished off by EVGENIY DADONOV at point blank range! It's 3:2! Assists- Vadim Shipachyov and Artemiy Panarin
     
    69:08
    The hosts couldn't create much however as they failed to hold the puck inside the attacking zone for a lengthy time, and it's a full strength hockey game again
     
    67:08
    Dynamo have taken what could be a fatal penalty here! Six players have been spotted as to having been on the ice, and what a chance it is for SKA to finish this series off! Forward Egor Dugin will sit this one out for his team
     
    66:25
    Kokarev! The chances are coming thick and fast now! Open by the left post Denis Kokarev's one timer rolls across the goal line, and it's hacked down the other end of the ice! Dynamo were inches away there!
     
    65:23
    Cervenka! Roman Cervenka almost forces his way through one on one, but he takes the puck too wide to the right and it's stopped fairly comfortably!
     
    64:40
    And now SKA's goalkeeper clings on to a Mikko Koskinen slap shot from the blue line. Nerves are at a maximum here, with Dynamo seeing more of the puck so far!
     
    61:10
    Tsvetkov! Alexey Tsvetkov launches the puck from the point, and Mikko Koskinen catches it neatly! And just seconds before that Vadim Shipachyov was denied by the goaltender's left foot when stretching!
     
    60:06
    Overtime has begun! It will be very interesting to see who will take the initiative, and remember that we will keep playing on until the first goal however long that may take to come!
     
    60:01
    Overtime began.
     
    Statistics after the initial 60 minutes:

    Shots: 45-52
    Shots on target: 28-32
    Faceoffs: 19-35
    Hits: 7-9
    Penalty minutes: 6-6
     
    60:00
    3rd period finished.
     
    59:41
    Overtime does look as though it is coming up now, with SKA really trying to force the issue with the seconds ticking by!
     
    57:41
    A powerful slapper clatters in from the right boards, and Mikko Koskinen covers it eventually. Any goal is surely going to prove to be the winner now, with already such little time remaining!
     
    55:49
    The tension is palpable inside the Saint Petersburg Ice Palace now! SKA are very nervy all over the ice, while Dynamo can smell blood!
     
    53:02
    Ericsson! For the second time in a row SKA could have dealt their opponents a hammer blow! Straight after the faceoff draw Jimmie Ericsson powers his way onto the crease, and at the second try the puck is beaten away by Alexander Sharychenkov!
     
    52:16
    Goal for Dynamo!
    Out of virtually nothing we're all tied up again! The SKA defence gets into a mess by their left post, and SERGEY SOIN is on hand to tuck it in! It's 2:2! Assists- Mat Robinson and Egor Dugin
     
    51:05
    Icing is committed by SKA. The hosts are notice bally shutting up shop now. they don't want to make any mistakes while a third goal would be dearly needed!
     
    48:55
    Now SKA's goaltender keeps a hold of a routine wrister from distance. He is coming under immense pressure now, as Dynamo know that time is very much against them!
     
    46:10
    Koskinen! As Martins Karsums sprints out of the penalty box it's a Dynamo three on one, to the right the Latvian takes aim, and he's denied by a superb Mikko Koskinen save near corner!
     
    44:45
    Thoresen! Patrick Thoresen receives at the tip of the slot, twists and shoots instantly, and misses the top right hand corner by only inches!
     
    44:04
    Not long at all after that goal, which Dynamo are angered about, they have taken a very untimely penalty! Latvian forward Martins Karsums is to blame, this time for hooking
     
    43:09
    Goal for SKA!
    What an outstanding response from SKA! Seconds after conceding they have their craved lead back! A feed comes in from the right, and ANTON BELOV makes no mistake with Alexander Sharychenkov out of the picture! It's 2:1! Assists- Viktor Tikhonov
     
    42:31
    Goal for Dynamo!
    There is that ensuing punishment from the visitors! Again the puck is loose, and MAXIM KARPOV backhands it five hole! Powerplay goal and it's 1:1!
     
    41:56
    Not for long though! This is the worst possible time to get into penalty trouble, as SKA's Ilya Kablukov has been handed a two minute minor for high sticking
     
    41:32
    Just how didn't that go in! Unbelievable! Mikko Koskinen is on his back blocker side the puck is trickling about everywhere, and in the end it's swept away! And SKA do now come back to full strength
     
    40:01
    The third, and vital period, has begun! And remember that Dynamo have a man's advantage for a further 01:32!
     
    40:01
    Start of 3rd period.
     
    Statistics after the first two periods:

    Shots: 35-32
    Shots on target: 21-22
    Faceoffs: 14-21
    Hits: 5-6
    Penalty minutes: 4-4
     
    40:00
    2nd period finished.
     
    39:56
    The second period is now coming to its end, with SKA still in the driving seat with only twenty more minutes to go!
     
    39:33
    SKA have taken a foolish penalty with time running down in the second, as Mikko Koskinen has been found guilty of referee. Forward Viktor Tikhonov will sit this one out for his side
     
    37:17
    Robinson! There is more urgency about Dynamo now! Mat Robinson pulls all the way to the doorstep from a tight angle on the left, and Mikko Koskinen's glove prevents him from getting his team on the board!
     
    36:40
    Ketov! Evgeniy Ketov carries the puck from behind the net, goes for a wraparound, and glove side he just can't force it home!
     
    35:40
    A huge goalmouth scramble erupts on SKA's crease, and with a large amount of bodies piling up Mikko Koskinen manages to cover it up! That was better from the visitors!
     
    34:46
    Apart from a few deflected slap shots Dynamo did very little during that time, and SKA have their full quota of players in the action again
     
    32:46
    Out of virtually nothing SKA have taken their first penalty, with defenceman Dmitriy Kalinin being called for interference
     
    32:33
    The hosts are having just so many brilliant openings, they have to start taking advantage of them soon to make themselves feel more comfortable! And at the other end Mikko Koskinen shows quick reactions to glove a bobbling dump into the slot
     
    30:36
    Anton Belov frees himself up at the doorstep, his effort is blocked, and then the rebound by the goalkeeper's blocker is shut down too! SKA are piling on the heat with force!
     
    27:27
    Kalinin! What a chance to double SKA's money! Dmitriy Kalinin draws his stick back from between the circles, and contrives to miss the target altogether! The goalkeeper would have had practically no chance!
     
    26:39
    The referees even took a second look at that, and it is indeed determined as to have not crossed the line! SKA are doing all of the attacking, not letting Dynamo get set up in their own zone!
     
    25:17
    A gigantic slapper from the left absolutely clatters off the far post! That was heard loud and clear, as SKA came so close to hitting the jackpot for the second time today!
     
    22:51
    Burdasov! He's done that already this series! Anton Burdasov takes up the play from deep, skates out to the left, and fires directly into Alexander Sharychenkov's glove!
     
    22:09
    Dynamo work the puck on the left flank to a dangerous position, it's whizzed across, and Mikko Koskinen falls on top of it as to cover
     
    21:30
    That wasn't a great powerplay from the hosts though, and Dynamo have five players on the ice once again
     
    20:01
    The second stanza is go! And remember that SKA are still on the powerplay for a further 01:30!
     
    20:01
    Start of 2nd period.
     
    Statistics after the opening period of play:

    Shots: 17-12
    Shots on target: 11-8
    Faceoffs: 11-8
    Hits: 3-3
    Penalty minutes: 0-4
     
    20:00
    1st period finished.
     
    19:54
    The last few seconds of the first period are now here, with SKA much in control so far!
     
    19:33
    The referee has his arm up and it's for another penalty against Dynamo, as forward Martins Karsums has been rightfully punished for attempting to provoke SKA's Ilya Kablukov into fighting him!
     
    18:31
    The hosts have their first positional attack for a while, and in the end Dynamo clear their lines. It's turning into a real tactical battle, with both teams waiting for a mistake from one another
     
    14:29
    Mikko Koskinen sees a dump from deep fly in, and takes no chances with freezing. He will be very important for SKA today, being relied upon to make the big saves
     
    12:10
    All of a sudden it's Dynamo who are seeing more of the puck and having some openings, there will be periods during this game when the initiative will be switching
     
    10:38
    Karpov! Now Dynamo create something! All alone on the right faceoff circle Maxim Karpov contrives to thrash off target with Mikko Koskinen out of position! That was a golden opportunity!
     
    08:16
    The puck is chucked in from the right boards, and SKA netminder Mikko Koskinen gets his first touch of the puck catching
     
    07:22
    Dynamo have survived that particular scare, and they will be very relieved to come back to full strength as they come under serious pressure
     
    06:08
    Ilya Kovalchuk takes up the play between the circles, wrists with power, and it flies beyond the goalkeeper's glove and out! Maybe he should have hit the target!
     
    05:08
    And the forlorn Dynamo have taken a really needless penalty here, as Finnish defenceman Janne Jalasvaara has been penalised for roughing
     
    05:00
    Thoresen! Viktor Tikhonov battling for the puck behind the net sends it back to the right post, and Patrick Thoresen pokes it over! That was a chance to make it two already!
     
    03:31
    Dynamo are being given no time whatsoever to keep possession, SKA are so fired up and hitting their opponents everywhere! They certainly haven't relaxed!
     
    02:51
    Viktor Tikhonov wrists when breaking into the zone, and Dynamo netminder Alexander Sharychenkov takes a hold of it. It's the nightmare beginning for the visitors, and they have to regroup!
     
    00:37
    Goal for SKA!
    Wow, what a start for SKA! That's just what they would have dreamed about! Dynamo turn over the puck, and alone to the right of the slot VADIM SHIPACHYOV finishes! It's 1:0! Assists- Roman Cervenka and Ilya Kovalchuk
     
    00:08
    Here we go! SKA really do need to finish off this series today, while Dynamo are fighting for their lives!
     
    00:01
    Game started.
     
    Starting lineups:

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

    Dynamo Moscow: Sharychenkov (Yeryomenko)- Novak, Robinson, Daugavins, Gorovikov, Pestushko- Jalasvaara, Koryagin, Karsums, Tsvetkov, Volkov- Mironov, Osipov, Kokarev, Tereshchenko, Karpov- Sinitsyn, Babenko, Soin, Bryukvin

    Referees: Antonin Jerabek, Jyri Ronn, Sergey Morozov, Yakov Paley.
     
    SKA finished in second place of the KHL Western Conference, with Dynamo one step behind in third.
     
    The series has been going all SKA's way so far, as they lead 3:1 with only one more victory needed to take them through. They took game one 6:3 before falling to Dynamo 1:4 in the second, however SKA more than made up for that winning both away games in Moscow 2:0 and 6:1 respectively.
     
    Hello and welcome to this KHL Gagarin Cup second round playoff match between SKA Saint Petersburg and HC Dynamo Moscow. This is Dynamo's last chance, with SKA on the brink of taking this series.
     
    Welcome. Game starts at 17:30.
    Commentary by

    Shaun Nicolaides

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 1. Shipachyov (Cervenka, Kovalchuk), 44. Belov (Tikhonov), 70. Dadonov (Shipachyov, Panarin) – 43. Karpov, 53. Soin (Robinson, Dugin)

    SKA St. Petersburg: Koskinen (Ezhov)- Rukavishnikov, Kalinin, Kovalchuk, Ericsson, Cervenka- Y Alexandrov, Khafizullin, Panarin, Shipachyov, Dadonov- Chudinov, A Belov, Thoresen, Martensson, Tikhonov- Yudin, Burdasov, Kablukov, Ketov
    Dynamo Moscow: Sharychenkov (Yeryomenko)- Novak, Robinson, Daugavins, Gorovikov, Pestushko- Jalasvaara, Koryagin, Karsums, Tsvetkov, Volkov- Mironov, Osipov, Kokarev, Tereshchenko, Karpov- Sinitsyn, Babenko, Soin, Bryukvin
    Referees: Antonin Jerabek, Jyri Ronn, Sergey Morozov, Yakov Paley
    Attendance: 12358