SKA – Dynamo Moscow – 4:1
In a tense duel, SKA had too much firepower for Dynamo Moscow, earning a confident 4:1 victory to successfully complete the maiden home series of the 2022/2023 KHL regular season.
Dynamo had initially started on the front foot.
The visitors drew two penalties out of SKA with their aggressive approach. Busy in our net, Alexander Samonov had to make a series of difficult saves, whereas Ilya Konovalov was barely tested at the opposite end.
However, SKA broke the deadlock with their maiden scoring opportunity of the evening.
After Konovalov had lost sight of the loose puck on the slot, Marat Khairullin reacted quickest to tap into the right corner.
Our team subsequently doubled their money two minutes later on the powerplay.
The in-form Khairullin was the hero for SKA again, as he thumped a strong slap shot into the near corner beyond Konovalov from the left faceoff circle.
SKA then went on to practically put the game to bed in the third minute of the second period.
Following a sloppy turnover from Dynamo, the hosts were presented with a 2-on-1 opportunity, and Alexander Nikishin sent a rasping one-timer high over Konovalov. At first, the referees didn’t notice that the puck had crossed the line, but the goal was given following a quick video review.
Dynamo struggled to gain any attacking momentum throughout the stanza. Everything looked to be going to plan for SKA however, with a little over a minute remaining before the break, Samonov received an injury when stretching to save Eric O’Dell’s wrist shot. He was helped off the ice by his teammates and replaced in the SKA goal by Dmitry Nikolaev.
That incident threatened to become a turning point.
The Moscow-based organisation came out with all guns blazing for the ensuing third period, pressing SKA and forcing Nikolaev into a couple of challenging saves at close range.
Dynamo did manage to get on the board in the seventh minute of the stanza. At the blue line, Andrei Mironov let a rocket go which simply had too much power for Nikolaev.
Nevertheless, despite that setback, that didn’t affect SKA at all. Still competing on the front foot, our players reinstated their three-goal lead with a hugely important marker in the 51st minute, as Valentin Zykov battled the puck in midair after Nikishin’s wrister had been stopped by Konovalov’s blocker.
That goal consequently allowed SKA to see out proceedings with minimal fuss.
On Monday, SKA will compete against Severstal in Cherepovets in the first game of a three-match road trip. Puck-drop is scheduled for 19:30 local time.
Match protocol:
SKA – Dynamo Moscow – 4:1 (2:0, 1:0, 1:1)
Goals:
1:0 Khairullin (Khusnutdinov, Zhafyarov), 15.42
2:0 Khairullin (Zykov, Khusnutdinov), 17.50 PPG
3:0 Nikishin (Volkov, Zykov), 22.23
3:1 Mironov (Igumnov, O’Dell), 45.09
4:1 Zykov (Nikishin, Volkov), 50.23
Goalkeepers: Samonov/Nikolaev – Konovalov
Shots: 49 – 45
Shots on target: 26 – 21
Faceoffs: 31 – 30
Blocked shots: 13 – 17
Hits: 15 – 20
Penalty minutes: 8 – 14
Referees: Kulakov, Romasko
Linesmen: Sadovnikov, Shelyanin
09.09.2022. Ice Palace, Saint Petersburg.