SKA - Lokomotiv - 1:2
Despite competing with the initiative for the entire game, SKA failed to break Lokomotiv Yaroslavl down at the Ice Palace in the 2022/2023 KHL regular season, conceding a slender 1:2 defeat.
SKA initially made the perfect start.
Marat Khusnutdinov opened the scoring on the powerplay in the ninth minute, as he pounced on the rebound and sent it beyond Lokomotiv goalkeeper Daniil Isaev.
Our players were bossing proceedings, applying heavy pressure on Lokomotiv and regularly calling the impressive Isaev into action.
However, against the run of play, the visitors took the lead with two goals in the second stanza.
Grigory Gryaznov inadvertently turned Georgy Ivanov's seemingly harmless effort into his own net with his glove, before Maxim Belyaev batted the puck in from point-blank range. Lokomotiv's second marker arrived a matter of seconds after the referees didn't blow for a high-sticking foul against Emil Galimov, who had blood streaming from his nose.
Naturally enough, SKA continued throwing everything at Lokomotiv in the third period.
An ideal opportunity to equalise was gifted to SKA in the 54th minute. Nonetheless, after Lokomotiv defenseman Alexander Elesin had been punished for holding the puck on the line with his glove, Marat Khairullin could only send his penalty shot into Isaev.
SKA did pull Dmitry Nikolaev for the extra skater in the closing stages, but Lokomotiv protected Isaev effectively to see out the match.
Our next game will be held on Friday against Ak Bars Kazan at the Ice Palace. Puck-drop is scheduled for 19:30 local time.
Match protocol:
SKA - Lokomotiv - 1:2 (1:0, 0:2, 0:0)
Goals:
1:0 Khusnutdinov (Zhafyarov, Nikishin), 08.52 PPG
1:1 Ivanov, 23.43
1:2 Belyaev (Elesin, Rafikov), 34.51
Goalkeepers: Nikolaev - Isaev
Shots: 83 - 43
Shots on target: 44 - 16
Faceoffs: 30 - 27
Hits: 29 - 9
Blocked shots: 14 - 25
Penalty minutes: 16 - 18
Referees: Ovchinnikov, Soin
Linesmen: Gordenko, Sysuev
01.02.2023.