KHL
SKA St. Petersburg – CSKA 1:3 (end)
final
SKA St. Petersburg
1:3 (0:0, 0:1, 1:2)
CSKA Moscow
Monday 30.03.2015, 18:30 • The Saint Petersburg Ice Palace • KHL
     
    There is the final buzzer, and HC CSKA Moscow have defeated SKA Saint Petersburg 3:1 away to take a huge 3:0 series lead! They were much the more clinical, and waited for their chances to strike. Roman Lyubimov, Denis Denisov and Alexander Radulov netted for CSKA, with Maxim Chudinov replying for the hosts. Thanks for following the game with us, and see you again soon for more thrilling KHL action! (20:55:27)
     
    60:00
    Game over.
     
    59:54
    The final seconds are now here, with CSKA on the way to a huge away victory!
     
    58:57
    Goal for CSKA!
    That is surely that now! Vladimir Zharkov skates up to the extra net, sets up ALEXANDER RADULOV to the left of the crease, and he comfortably ices this one! It's 1:3! Assists- Vladimir Zharkov
     
    58:03
    And already SKA head coach Vyacheslav Bykov has opted to pull Mikko Koskinen in favour for the extra skater! It's now or never for his side!
     
    58:01
    With the puck flying from one end to another SKA can't get set up in the zone to make something happen, and with the last two minutes here they are running out of time!
     
    53:23
    Thoresen! Seconds after getting one back SKA almost had that equaliser! Patrick Thoresen takes a poke at the puck, and it rolls not far wide of the right post at all! CSKA are under heavy pressure now!
     
    51:39
    Goal for SKA!
    Wow, just like that SKA have responded! MAXIM CHUDINOV is left all alone at the blue line, and he slaps in his one timer pver the goalkeeper's blocker! Assists- Ilya Kovalchuk and Anton Belov
     
    50:30
    Goal for CSKA!
    That could be the killer goal for CSKA, SKA can't keep taking such penalties! The visitors work the puck around, and pinned up by the left hand post DENIS DENISOV scores! Powerplay goal and it's 1:2! Assists- Igor Grigorenko and Alexander Radulov
     
    49:57
    SKA have taken a very untimely penalty here as they were putting the pressure on hard, with forward Jimmie Ericsson being called for interference
     
    47:01
    Patrick Thoresen again has some space on the right, he squares for the open Tony Martensson, and somehow his effort is stoned by Stanislav Galimov! Just how did he not hit the net, wow!
     
    45:16
    Martensson! SKA are turning the heat up now! It's a three on two, Patrick Thoresen sets up Tony Martensson to the right, and the Swede hits only the goalkeeper's midriff from a fantastic position! Such chances have to be taken advantage of!
     
    44:13
    Yudin! That was a clear opening for SKA! Dmitriy Yudin is open on the right wing, he goes for a powerful wrister, and Stanislav Galimov gets his body behind it to block!
     
    40:17
    The third period has begun! CSKA have been the more clinical so far, and for SKA it's one of their last chances to get something going in this series!
     
    40:01
    Start of 3rd period.
     
    Statistics after the first two periods:

    Shots: 33-33
    Shots on target: 16-18
    Faceoffs: 17-19
    Hits: 13-6
    Penalty minutes: 6-6
     
    40:00
    2nd period finished.
     
    39:41
    As SKA come back to full strength the second period is coming to a close, and CSKA are in the box seat so far!
     
    38:27
    Zaitsev! Nikita Zaitsev is allowed unmarked to drift to the right of the crease, and he is excellently denied by Mikko Koskinen! A second would allow CSKA to feel very comfortable!
     
    37:41
    SKA are getting into a bit of penalty trouble now and here's another against young defenceman Dmitriy Yudin, as he has been penalised for tripping
     
    37:19
    That goal came seconds after SKA came back to full strength, and that will be a tough goal for the hosts to take! They simply cannot deal with their top line!
     
    36:18
    Goal for CSKA!
    Again it's CSKA's top line punishing SKA hard! Alexander Radulov trickles down to the right post, and squares for ROMAN LYUBIMOV to squeeze home! It's 0:1! Assists- Igor Grigorenko and Alexander Radulov
     
    34:00
    A strange penalty has been signalled here by the referee, as for slashing against CSKA's goaltender Patrick Thoresen of SKA has been handed a two minute minor
     
    31:44
    Belov! Anton Belov charges into the attacking zone, wrists with serious power from the point, and only Stanislav Galimov's mask keeps this game level!
     
    31:31
    SKA simply can't get it together when playing with a man's advantage, and CSKA are back at full strength
     
    31:01
    Kovalchuk! Ilya Kovalchuk slaps the puck as hard as he can from the left faceoff circle, and Stanislav Galimov makes a beautiful glove save! That will look good on the camera!
     
    29:31
    Out of virtually nothing CSKA have been spotted having six players on the ice at one time, and they have indeed been called for that. Forward Evgeniy Artyukhin will sit this one out for his side
     
    28:14
    It's a two on one for the visitors down the right wing, this time Andrey Stas does attempt to feed teammate Igor Grigorenko, however flying SKA defencemen do manage to shuffle it out of danger in time!
     
    25:51
    Stas! That was a real opening for CSKA! SKA cough up the puck deep into their own zone, by the right post Andrey Stas is set up, and he's shut down on the crease! Igor Grigorenko far post was all alone with an empty net to aim at!
     
    23:07
    Despite that chance SKA's powerplay is struggling again today, and their opponents are back to full strength
     
    21:07
    SKA have been gifted an early and important powerplay here in the period, as Grigoriy Panin has been penalised for a blatant trip up against forward Vadim Shipachyov
     
    20:31
    The second frame is go! It's been a nervy affair so far, and the hosts will want to take over the initiative!
     
    20:01
    Start of 2nd period.
     
    Statistics after the opening period of play:

    Shots: 16-18
    Shots on target: 9-10
    Faceoffs: 10-9
    Hits: 6-3
    Penalty minutes: 2-2
     
    20:00
    1st period finished.
     
    19:59
    The last few seconds of the first period are already here, with it being a tight, tense affair so far!
     
    19:03
    Makarov! Igor Makarov dig the puck out from against the boards on the right, cuts to the slot, and at point blank range fails to stuff it under the body of Mikko Koskinen!
     
    17:20
    CSKA got rather lucky to escape that scare, and they have their full quota of players back on the ice
     
    16:21
    Dadonov! What an opportunity to give SKA the lead! Artemiy Panarin tees Evgeniy Dadonov up at the doorstep, and the latter can only first time the puck past the left post! He had to hit the target!
     
    15:20
    The referee has his arm up and it's for a penalty against CSKA, as their captain Denis Denisov has been punished for slashing
     
    14:52
    The visitors have room down the left, Evgeniy Korotkov opts to shoot, and after a slight deflection it's swept up. SKA are slowly growing into the game, and losing some of their pre-game nerves
     
    12:53
    Ilya Kovalchuk buzzes around for the puck in CSKA's zone, Dmitriy Yudin tees him up, his effort is blocked and then Yury Alexandrov's backhanded is kicked away blocker side! The home fans are out of their seats now inside the Saint Petersburg Ice Palace!
     
    11:02
    The home team are caught out slightly on a pacy CSKA counterattack, Evgeniy Artyukhin wrists from the left faceoff circle and the goaltender takes it up
     
    08:48
    Igor Makarov picks up the puck at the blue line, wrists in through traffic, and Mikko Koskinen does well to hold on to it with bodies piling on tip of him
     
    06:51
    Kovalchuk! Ilya Kovalchuk has room at the high slot, takes a huge slap at the puck, and it whistles past the left post! That was hit with some power!
     
    06:08
    SKA were solid killing off that penalty, and they will be relieved to come back to full strength
     
    04:32
    Star CSKA forward Alexander Radulov makes his way tricking past the SKA defence, backhands from between the circles and Mikko Koskinen gloves confidently
     
    04:08
    Here however we have the first penalty of the day already, and it's against SKA as forward Evgeniy Ketov has been called for roughing
     
    04:04
    It's been a fast and furious start with no real shots on goal as yet especially from the hosts, with CSKA trying to keep the puck well away from their own zone
     
    01:20
    It's the visitors who have the first shot on target, as Evgeniy Korotkov wrists into Mikko Koskinen's right pad when skating harmlessly into the attacking zone
     
    00:19
    Here we go! It's a huge encounter today, with SKA really having to win!
     
    00:01
    Game started.
     
    The teams are now out on to the ice, and after the Russian national anthem we'll be getting underway!
     
    Starting lineups:

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

    CSKA Moscow: Galimov (Lalande)- Denisov, Zaitsev, Grigorenko, Lyubimov, Radulov- Nemec, Bondarev, Hjalmarsson, Mursak, Artyukhin- Panin, Egorshev, Zharkov, Korotkov, Zhafyarov- Naumenkov, Volkov, Stas, Mamin

    Referees: Alexey Anisimov, Roman Gofman, Gleb Lazarev, Roman Shikhanov.
     
    SKA finished in second place of the KHL regular season, with CSKA one step ahead in first.
     
    It has been simply a pulsating series so far, with CSKA taking both games at home 3:0 and 4:3 after an astonishing three periods of overtime. SKA really need to get a win from which to take off, and they have been excellent in these playoffs so far seeing off HC Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod and HC Dynamo Moscow both 4:1. CSKA have been just as good, defeating HC Sochi 4:0 and Jokerit Helsinki 4:1.
     
    Hello and welcome to this KHL Gagarin Cup Western Conference final match between SKA Saint Petersburg and HC CSKA Moscow. SKA have their backs up to the wall after the first two matches, and have to grab a foothold in the series today.
     
    Welcome. Game starts at 18:30.
    Commentary by

    Shaun Nicolaides

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 52. Chudinov (Kovalchuk, Belov) – 37. Lyubimov (Grigorenko, Radulov), 51. Denisov (Grigorenko, Radulov), 59. Radulov (Zharkov)

    SKA St. Petersburg: Koskinen (Ezhov)- Rukavishnikov, Khafizullin, Kovalchuk, Ericsson, Cervenka- Y Alexandrov, Kuteikin, Panarin, Shipachyov, Dadonov- Chudinov, A Belov, Thoresen, Martensson, Tikhonov- Yudin, Khokhryakov, Kablukov, Ketov
    CSKA Moscow: Galimov (Lalande)- Denisov, Zaitsev, Grigorenko, Lyubimov, Radulov- Nemec, Bondarev, Hjalmarsson, Mursak, Artyukhin- Panin, Egorshev, Zharkov, Korotkov, Zhafyarov- Naumenkov, Volkov, Stas, Mamin
    Referees: Alexey Anisimov, Roman Gofman, Gleb Lazarev, Roman Shikhanov
    Attendance: 12390