Liga Stavok Sochi Hockey Open. Russia - SKA - 6:5 SO

In the final match of the 2023 Liga Stavok Sochi Hockey Open, the Russian national team outlasted SKA Saint Petersburg in a thrilling encounter, emerging victorious by a score of 6:5 after a tense penalty shootout.

Initially, SKA had looked to be in firm control of proceedings.

At first, Semyon Demidov equalised for Russia, but SKA did lead 4:1 after 23 minutes with Ilya Fedotov, Brendan Leipsic, Emil Galimov and Ivan Demidov having struck gold. SKA representative Dmitry Nikolaev was replaced in the Russian net by club teammate Artemiy Pleshkov after the maiden three conceded goals.

Russian forward Semyon Sinyatkin reduced the gap to two for Russia, but Ilya Fedotov subsequently reinstated SKA's commanding three-goal advantage with only the third stanza left to play.

However, SKA contrived to throw a seemingly won game out of their hands.

In aa tense third frame, our national team came roaring back, getting back on level terms with Dmitry Katelevsky - twice - and Maxim Velikov getting the better of SKA goalkeeper Johan Mattsson.

The outcome was eventually decided by a penalty shootout, in which Mattsson was pulled in favour of Sergei Ivanov for SKA. That didn't have the desired effect for SKA, though, with Ruslan Abrosimov winning it for Russia with two successful attempts. Sergei Tolchinsky was the only SKA player to score past the impressive Pleshkov.

The competition has indeed now reached its completion.

Match protocol:

Russia - SKA - 6:5 SO (1:3, 1:2, 3:0, 0:0 - 0:1)

Goals:

0:1 I. Fedotov, 10.16

1:1 S. Demidov (Katelevsky), 10:57

1:2 Leipsic (Tolchinsky, Tankov), 12:18

1:3 Galimov (I. Fedotov, M. Fedotov), 14:15

1:4 I. Demidov (Sergeev, Michkov), 22:36 PPG

2:4 Sinyatkin (Gulyaev), 27:36

2:5 I. Fedotov (Galimov, Zinchenko), 34:17

3:5 Katelevsky (Sinyatkin, Koromyslov), 40:53 PPG

4:5 Katelevsky (S. Demidov, Koromyslov), 42:50 ГБ

5:5 Velikov (Kabush, Koromyslov), 55:33

6:5 Abrosimov, 65.00 SO

Goalkeepers: Nikolaev/Pleshkov - Mattsson/Ivanov

Shots: 62 - 83

Shots on target: 38 - 53

Faceoffs: 37 - 36

Blocked shots: 12 - 14

Penalty minutes: 18 - 25

Referees: Olenin, Belyaev

Linesmen: Ponamarenko, Shelyanin

08.08.2023.