KHL
SKA St. Petersburg – CSKA 4:1 (end)
final
SKA St. Petersburg
4:1 (2:0, 2:0, 0:1)
CSKA Moscow
Wednesday 01.04.2015, 18:30 • The Saint Petersburg Ice Palace • KHL
     
    There is the final buzzer, and SKA Saint Petersburg have beaten HC CSKA Moscow at home 4:1 to extend this KHL Gagarin Cup Western Conference final series! They were fantastic today, and showed world class hockey everywhere on the ice. Patrick Thoresen, Vadim Shipachyov and Evgeniy Dadonov with a double netted for the hosts, as Igor Grigorenko replied for CSKA. Thanks for following the game with us, and see you again soon for more thrilling KHL action! (21:06:09)
     
    60:00
    Game over.
     
    59:41
    The last few seconds have now arrived, and the Saint Petersburg Ice Palace are applauding their heroes as they have triumphed in this one 4:1!
     
    58:33
    With only just under two minutes left both sides are back at full strength. SKA have been excellent today all over the ice, and will be relieved as to having extended this series and their season!
     
    56:28
    Once again it's going to be a four on four for a couple of minutes, as Dmitry Yudin and Igor Volkov have been sent for a sit down as a result of pushing each other around with feeling
     
    53:54
    CSKA get set up in the attacking zone, no one can get a hold of the puck, and eventually Mikko Koskinen takes a claim of it with Evgeniy Korotkov buzzing around. And in the aftermath Dmitriy Yudin of SKA and CSKA's Evgeniy Artyukhin smash each other to the floor! No penalty has been called, but they were ready to battle it out!
     
    53:13
    The game has now gone back to as it was before with SKA playing around with the puck at their will, and they come so close to a fifth! Roman Rukavishnikov trickily upends his marker on the right faceoff circle, closes down, and thumps not far off target blocker side! The goaltender would surely have been helpless had it been on target!
     
    50:04
    SKA are slowing up as they can see the final buzzer edge closer and closer, and CSKA are back to full strength with already only ten minutes remaining
     
    49:11
    Ilya Kovalchuk charges down the left flank, opts to go high near post on Kevin Lalande, and the goalkeeper lifts his shoulder up to touch it out wide
     
    48:04
    Both sides have seen their penalties run to their end, and it's a full strength hockey game again. However is was that way for less than a minute! Now CSKA's Igor Grigorenko has been caught tripping Jimmie Ericsson up
     
    47:00
    Mikko Koskinen sees a powerful slapper come in from distance, and has no problem with holding on to it. He has done his job well for SKA so far today, not letting much get past him at all
     
    45:51
    Grigorenko! That was a real chance to make things interesting! The SKA defence goes slightly AWOL, Igor Grigorenko is open on the right, and he can only lift it over the bar! Another CSKA goal and SKA could become nervous!
     
    45:02
    That SKA powerplay didn't last long though, and Swedish SKA forward Jimmie Ericsson has evened the numbers out for tripping
     
    44:48
    Just as they were building up ahead of steam CSKA have taken yet another stupid penalty, as they have been spotted for having too many men on the ice! Their captain Alexander Radulov will take a seat for his side for these two minutes
     
    44:02
    Anton Burdasov of SKA crashes into CSKA's Grigoriy Panin, and the latter clatters horribly into the boards! He looks in real pain and is being helped off the ice by the doctors!
     
    43:01
    Goal for CSKA!
    That will cheer them up at least a little bit! IGOR GRIGORENKO receives by the right post, and swinging round he tucks it into the far corner! Powerplay goal and it's 4:1! Assists- Nikita Zaitsev and Alexander Radulov
     
    42:23
    The hosts couldn't find too many shooting opportunities during that time, and CSKA will be happy to be back at full strength. And almost immediately they have been gifted a powerplay of their own, with SKA defenceman Maxim Chudinov being penalised for interference
     
    40:01
    The puck has dropped for the third, and crucial, period! And remember that SKA are still on the powerplay for a further 02:02!
     
    40:01
    Start of 3rd period.
     
    Statistics after the first two periods:

    Shots: 34-21
    Shots on target: 23-6
    Faceoffs: 25-22
    Hits: 11-14
    Penalty minutes: 6-18
     
    40:00
    2nd period finished.
     
    39:51
    The second frame is now coming to its end, with SKA all over their opponents at all angles of the ice! They're unstoppable so far today!
     
    38:02
    Just how many stupid penalties do CSKA want to take today! This time it's also not just a minor one, as Mikhail Naumenkov has been slapped with a 2+2 penalty for tripping and cross checking in the same play!
     
    35:53
    Panarin! Artemiy Panarin loses his marker breaking in from deep, and when almost one on one he wrists into Kevin Lalande's five hole! That was a tough first save for CSKA's new goaltender to make!
     
    33:53
    Both teams are going to have one player short here as CSKA are trying to wind up their confident opponents, and Mikhail Naumenkov of the visitors and SKA's Alexey Ponikarovskiy have been called for roughing
     
    32:58
    That goal has forced CSKA into a well needed goalkeeping change, with Kevin Lalande coming in to replace Stanislav Galimov! They had to do something!
     
    32:58
    Goal for SKA!
    SKA are on fire! This is some performance! EVGENIY DADONOV cannot be kept off the scoresheet as he one times in when between the circles! Powerplay goal and it's 4:0! Assists- Vadim Shipachyov and Evgeniy Dadonov
     
    31:19
    Now it's SKA who have been given a man's advantage again, as the quite all over the place CSKA's Nikita Zaitsev has been spotted as to have had his stick too high
     
    30:03
    Seconds after Roman Cervenka fired over when breaking down the right SKA do indeed come back to full strength. Everything is working out for them today so far, as CSKA cannot create anything at all!
     
    28:58
    The puck is worked back to the blue line, a heavy wrister is thumped in by Ondrej Nemec with traffic building up on the slot, and Mikko Koskinen is solid seeing that all the way
     
    28:03
    SKA have however in the end given up a penalty, as Maxim Chudinov has been punished for holding directly under the referee's nose
     
    27:23
    The forlorn visitors were very almost handed a perfect opportunity to get back into things! Mikko Koskinen again messes up his play behind the net, and somehow the gaping open net is missed! He got away with that one!
     
    26:28
    Goal for SKA!
    Wow, that was simply stunning! Again it's that second line for SKA as Artemiy Panarin and Evgeniy Dadonov move the puck about wonderfully, and VADIM SHIPACHYOV wrists delicately in from the right of the crease! Powerplay goal and it's 3:0! Assists- Artemiy Panarin and Evgeniy Dadonov
     
    25:17
    A penalty has now been called against CSKA just as I was saying that, with Mikhail Naumenkov being punished fro high sticking. They can't keep put of the penalty box today!
     
    25:02
    CSKA commit a couple of quick icings in a row. They are levelling the game out better now, not letting SKA have so much time inside their own zone while trying to attack themselves
     
    24:08
    Tempers keep on rising here! The whistle is blown for offside against CSKA, and in the aftermath Evgeniy Artyukhin is pinned against the boards by SKA's Patrick Thoresen! No one on each side likes each other too much!
     
    22:03
    Kovalchuk! What a skate that was from SKA's captain! Just as CSKA come back to full strength Ilya Kovalchuk sprints down the middle, cuts in between CSKA's back line, and wrists inches wide of the right post! It would have been a beautiful goal!
     
    20:01
    As we get underway here in the second stanza a very interesting penalty has been called against CSKA, as for delaying the game somewhere they have been penalised! Young forward Maxim Mamin will sit this one out for his team
     
    20:01
    Start of 2nd period.
     
    Statistics after the opening period of play:

    Shots: 21-11
    Shots on target: 14-3
    Faceoffs: 15-9
    Hits: 4-4
    Penalty minutes: 2-6
     
    20:00
    1st period finished.
     
    19:51
    The final seconds of the first period are now here, with SKA fully in control so far!
     
    19:06
    Now however it's SKA who will be on the penalty kill, as defenceman Dinar Khafizullin has been found guilty of tripping
     
    18:11
    CSKA were better during those couple of minutes, and will be relieved to come back to full strength
     
    18:02
    Panarin! Artemiy Panarin finds a bit of room coming off the left faceoff circle, takes aim alone, and Stanislav Galimov gets his body behind it to catch
     
    17:13
    Ilya Kovalchuk dumps the puck in from the blue line, the puck bounces off Stanislav Galimov, and Patrick Thoresen manages to only bundle into the goalkeeper himself
     
    16:11
    The visitors really are losing their discipline today as another penalty has been indicated, with forward Jan Mursak being the guilty party for hooking
     
    13:34
    Out of nothing Mikko Koskinen loses the puck behind his net, and he's a bit lucky to not get punished for that! And at the other end Artemiy Panarin races away, and from the high slot hits Stanislav Galimov's pads
     
    13:13
    CSKA are struggling to keep up with their opponent's pace at the moment, SKA are simply so hard hitting when they are in possession! They know just how important today is!
     
    10:01
    All of the play is being dictated by SKA at the moment, and the underfire CSKA have taken a timeout! They are in danger of being blown away!
     
    09:50
    Goal for SKA!
    The Saint Petersburg Ice Palace takes liftoff! Quite beautiful build up play finds EVGENIY DADONOV on the doorstep, and he lashes it into the net! Powerplay goal and it's 2:0! Assists- Artemiy Panarin and Vadim Shipachyov
     
    09:21
    The referee has his arm up again and it's for a penalty against CSKA for the second time, as forward Evgeniy Artyukhin has been penalised for roughing
     
    09:01
    Off a faceoff draw neutral ice Evgeniy Dadonov dumps in blocker side, and Stanislav Galimov gets his glove on it. SKA look full of fire today, and are letting their opponents know who are the hosts!
     
    08:28
    Igor Grigorenko for CSKA makes a dash down the right, outpaces his opponent, and his backhander is neatly gloved by Mikko Koskinen as it was rising
     
    07:53
    Kablukov! It could, and maybe should, have been two already! CSKA are caught out at the back, Ilya Kablukov is fed from the left, and his dangerous shot is stoned by Stanislav Galimov up close!
     
    06:31
    Goal for SKA!
    What a huge goal that could be for SKA! CSKA clumsily cough up the puck deep inside their own zone, Ilya Kovalchuk squares from the right boards, and PATRICK THORESEN pokes home! It's 1:0! Assists- Ilya Kovalchuk
     
    05:08
    Belov! Anton Belov is set up for SKA at the blue line, he slaps as hard as he can, and the goaltender only just gets everything behind it not giving up any rebounds!
     
    04:41
    Alexander Radulov now for the visitors makes his way down the right flank, backhands from an awkward angle, and Mikko Koskinen near post fields it to cover
     
    04:37
    Apart from one Ilya Kovalchuk slap shot from the blue line not much was created by SKA, and CSKA are back at full strength
     
    02:37
    Only two minutes in and we already have the first penalty of the day, as CSKA's Igor Makarov has been called for cross checking against his opponent
     
    00:31
    Here we go! For SKA it's the moment of truth, while CSKA can see the finish line on the horizon!
     
    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)- Chudinov, A Belov, Thoresen, Martensson, Kovalchuk- N Belov, Kuteikin, Panarin, Shipachyov, Dadonov- Khafizullin, Rukavishnikov, Burdasov, Ericsson, Cervenka- Yudin, Barabanov, Ponikarovskiy, Kablukov, Khokhryakov

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

    Referees: Alexey Anisimov, Antonin Jerabek, Gleb Lazarev, Roman Shikhanov.
     
    SKA finished in second place of the KHL regular season, with CSKA one slot ahead in first.
     
    This series has been going all one way so far, with CSKA one step away from the Gagarin Cup final 3:0 up. They won their first two matches 3:0 and 3:2 in overtime at home, before taking the third game 3:1 in Saint Petersburg. They got to this stage by defeating HC Sochi 4:0 and Jokerit Helsinki 4:1, as SKA saw off HC Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod and HC Dynamo Moscow both by a score of 4:1.
     
    Hello and welcome to this KHL Gagarin Cup Western Conference final match between SKA Saint Petersburg and HC CSKA Moscow. This is SKA's last chance to make an impact om this series, as this is already game four.
     
    Welcome. Game starts at 18:30.
    Commentary by

    Shaun Nicolaides

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 7. Thoresen (Kovalchuk), 10. Dadonov (Panarin, Shipachyov), 27. Shipachyov (Panarin, Dadonov), 33. Dadonov (Shipachyov, Dadonov) – 44. Grigorenko (Zaitsev, Radulov)

    SKA St. Petersburg: Koskinen (Ezhov)- Chudinov, A Belov, Thoresen, Martensson, Kovalchuk- N Belov, Kuteikin, Panarin, Shipachyov, Dadonov- Khafizullin, Rukavishnikov, Burdasov, Ericsson, Cervenka- Yudin, Barabanov, Ponikarovskiy, Kablukov, Khokhryakov
    CSKA Moscow: Galimov (Lalande)- Denisov, Zaitsev, Grigorenko, Lyubimov, Radulov- Nemec, Bondarev, Hjalmarsson, Mursak, Artyukhin- Panin, Egorshev, Zharkov, Korotkov, Zhafyarov- Naumenkov, Volkov, Stas, Makarov, Mamin
    Referees: Alexey Anisimov, Antonin Jerabek, Gleb Lazarev, Roman Shikhanov
    Attendance: 12310