Continuing their impressive recent form in the first few months of the 2023-24 KHL season, HC Sochi found themselves in the win column in a home game against Severstal Cherepovets on Thursday, October 5th, emerging with a 4-3 victory. Not everything about Sochi’s performance was outstanding through the first couple of frames, as they did concede a goal by Severstal D Nikita Makeyev just 1:23 in and allowed a shorthanded goal in the second stanza by LW Adam Liska to even the score at 3-3 (a handful of minutes after having taken a 3-2 lead by responding to a score by Severstal F Nikita Korostelev with a goal by F Sergei Popov in a matter of just ten seconds). However, they withstood an aggressive Severstal attack throughout the third period, and RW Borna Rendulic was able to find the back of the net with just under a minute remaining. While Sochi D Jesse Graham subsequently went to the box for a delay of game penalty, Severstal were unable to find the back of the net in the ensuing 6-on-4 (G Konstantin Shostak was pulled for an extra attacker), and Sochi emerged forward with a victory in front of the home crowd in Olympic Park.

The first two goals of the match for Sochi were scored by C/captain Kirill Rasskazov, who equalized the score 8:35 into the first, and, who else? RW/Flyers prospect (7th overall, 2023 NHL Entry Draft) Matvei Michkov, with the go-ahead goal 17:56 in that brought the score to 2-1 on a phenomenal setup by D Artyom Volkov. Michkov’s performance to this point in his second consecutive loan stint with Sochi has been nothing but amazing, with his productivity now standing at 5 goals and 6 assists for 11 points in 9 games played since being a healthy scratch for 3 of the 4 first games in SKA Saint Petersburg’s schedule before he was loaned out to Sochi yet again. Moreover, his clutch play has been outstanding, given that he seems to be the go-to guy for a go-ahead, game-tying, or game-winning goal on Sochi’s roster. It is no surprise that he recently cracked the KHL Player Rating, coming in at 8th with a rating of 3.20 in the KHL’s performance index. There are not many players like him performing so excellently in the KHL and the number of players worldwide playing in a professional league, especially so well at such a high level, at his age (reminder that he turns 19 in December) is extremely small. It is great to see him be given some recognition for individual excellence by the KHL.

With regards to Sochi as a whole, this brings their record to 11 wins (9 in regulation, 1 in overtime) and 4 losses (all in regulation) and their total points to 22. At present, the official standings are yet to be updated, but Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod won 4-2 over Kunlun Red Star in Kunlun’s alternate home venue of Mytischi Arena just outside Moscow today, as well, so Torpedo will remain ahead of Sochi by one point. However, it is great to see that Sochi is continuing to gain ground in the overall echelons of the league. Dmitry Kokorev and his group expect and aspire to maintain this good form as they take on Severstal again on Saturday, October 7th, in another home game.