This series unintentionally became suspended due to ongoing obligations elsewhere, both those of creative nature and not. That said, this will be plenty detailed to make up for lost time.

SKA Saint Petersburg:

Game 19: Wednesday, October 23rd

SKA 8-0 Kunlun Red Star

The game was defined by a pretty clear offensive explosion from SKA, wherein they tallied three goals in the first frame and four in the second. 11 players registered at least a point and 6 players had multi-point nights. The headlining performances were by Sergei Plotnikov, who had a hat trick on just three shots on goal, and Habs prospect Ivan Demidov, who had four assists (as well as a +5). Flyers prospect Yegor Zavragin made 31 saves in the clean sheet, including some highlight stops such as his stonewalling of Kunlun D Jake Chelios (son of Chris) in the third period.

In this matchup, D Alexander Nikishin (CAR, 69th overall, 2020 NHL Entry Draft) attained yet another SKA Saint Petersburg record. The future Hurricane racked up his 132nd career point with the club, marking an all-time best at that position in a SKA uniform. Their trusting of him to facilitate their offense has certainly paid off in the time since he was acquired from Spartak.

Game 20: Friday, October 25th

SKA 5-2 Spartak Moscow

Concluding their three game road trip, SKA paid a visit to some rivals in the nation’s capital. The first period was largely evenly played in terms of possession, chances, and offensive zone time. However, Zavragin would be beaten twice inside the final eight minutes, once right off the faceoff by Pavel Poryadin and again by Yegor Filin on a wrap-around with just over a minute to play in the opening stanza. SKA would be the clearly better team from there on out, however. The team tallied seven shots on goal in the second frame in approximately 5.5 minutes of play before Zavragin was forced to make his first save of the period, and they never looked back. Ultimately, 12 players factored in at least once to five different goals (with Vasily Glotov’s tap-in on the power play just over halfway through the second standing as the game winner) and their defensive efforts subsequently only allowed 18 more SOGs after allowing 9 in the first period (one fewer than they were able to muster offensively). In total, the team racked up 42 shots on goal against Spartak G Dmitri Nikolayev, while Zavragin would be credited with 25 saves on 27 shots against.

This game was not without some controversy, particularly regarding SKA’s perception of Spartak fans’ behavior and how head coach Roman Rotenberg addressed said perceptions. Rotenberg was rebuked by the KHL for his handling of the situation. You can read their full statement here.

Game 21: Monday, October 28th

SKA 6-3 Sibir Novosibirsk

The club returned home and subsequently put up another dominant performance offensively, though the explosion came late as the teams entered the third period tied 1-1. Of SKA’s 6 goals, only one of them (their first one in the second period by Glotov, which tied the game) came on the power play, with the rest being at even strength in their absurd third period showing. Ten players registered at least 1 point, with five of those being 2-point showings. Zavragin’s performance would prove to be somewhat pedestrian, as he stopped just 23 of 26 would seem overburdened by the end and it showed with him allowing two goals within the final six minutes. Would it perhaps be time that he needed some rest?

On the back of an impressive winning streak, though, the club were placed #1 in the KHL’s power rankings the day after this game.

Game 22: Wednesday, October 30th

SKA 2-3 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl

This marked the back half of SKA’s short, two-game homestand. This additionally marked, as PHLY’s Alexander Appleyard pointed out, Zavragin’s fourth start in seven days and his seventh in eighteen days. It showed, as the club played quite well in front of him, outshooting Lokomotiv during the back-and-forth between the two clubs in the first period and hanging right with them but the goaltender allowed 3 goals on his first 8 shots against. Ultimately, in Zavragin’s first loss since “returning” to SKA from his loan to Sochi, he stopped 22 of 25. The wear-down had to be showing by then.

The team’s roster did get some superlatives for how they performed in the month of October two days after this matchup. Zavragin, Plotnikov, and Nikishin were recognized as rookie, forward, and defenseman of the month, respectively. The next day, the day of their road game against Salavat Yalaev Ufa, Zavragin and Demidov both were awarded spots on the All-Rookie Team of the Month. These all were certainly earned by way of outstanding, consistent performances.

Game 23: Saturday, November 2nd

SKA 2-4 Salavat Yulaev Ufa

Whatever lesson could have been learned about giving Zavragin a day off was not learned, as the 19-year-old suited up yet again for an interconference road game. The two teams gave virtually an identical effort, as they were neck-and-neck in the SOGs category and were at the exact same spot (34 each) at the time that ex-Golden Knight/Canuck/Hurricane/King Sheldon Rempal iced it with an empty netter. Josh Leivo (formerly of the Maple Leafs, Hurricanes, Flames, Blues and Canucks) was particularly unchecked in this game, registering 1g-1a and TEN shots on goal.

At this point, not getting Zavragin off the ice for at least one game would be unforgivable. Would Rotenberg do the right thing?

Game 24: Monday, November 4th

SKA 1-2 Kunlun Red Star (OT)

At last, Zavragin did not get the start. In fact, the young goaltender would not be dressed for the game. Pavel Moisevich was serviceable enough in his role, stopping 31 of 33 in a game that went to overtime. However, the team was disappointing as a whole. They out-shot Kunlun by a fair bit in regulation but did not generate many Grade A looks and did not capitalize on enough of the chances they did create. Ultimately, the game ended when Evgeny Kuznetsov (who had 6 SOGs in the game) was sent to the box for a holding call (that looked more like a trip or slash but hey, all minor penalties are the same, ultimately) and Ryan Merkley (yes, that one, uh, from the Sharks) set up Rourke Chartier (ex-Senators/Sharks) for a tap-in on the ensuing power play.

After going on an impressive tear, SKA has now lost three in a row. What can they do to get out of this?

HC Sochi:

Game 18: Tuesday, October 22nd

Sochi 2-3 Salavat Yulaev Ufa (SO)

The “Leopards” had to overcome a lot in this matchup and to their credit, they did. They looked flat-footed throughout a lot of the game but still were right with Ufa on the scoreboard and in the SOG category. Winger and effective talisman (at this point) Artur Tyanulin’s penalty shot that could’ve tied it at 2 late in the second failed, but the former Matvei Michkov linemate quickly had an answer via a power play assist on a phenomenal cross-ice pass to Daniil Seroukh to stay on a phenomenal offensive pace. The club ultimately would fall in the skills comp, but this was a determined performance against a strong Eastern Conference opponent.

Game 19: Thursday, October 24th

Sochi 1-2 Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk

This game (the final matchup of Sochi’s four game road swing) was primarily low event, with only a combined 48 SOGs between the two teams. The second period had all the action. It looked as though Sochi may be able to enter the third on a high note as Kirill Rasskazov tied the game at one-a-piece as the middle frame approached its end. However, “The Team With the Bear” RW Bulat Shafigullin would have an answer very quickly as he beat Sochi G Evgeny Volokhin with a backhander when the netminder failed to seal up his left side post. This would end up being the deciding moment of the game.

Game 20: Saturday, November 2nd

Sochi 0-4 Spartak Moscow

Adorned in their tenth anniversary jerseys (not for the first time this year, but one of the few, and it is too bad they weren’t debuted for home games from the jump because it is a significant upgrade from the standard teal which is far too reminiscent of the San Jose Sharks for my liking), this was far from a celebratory game for HC Sochi. Sergei Ivanov allowed four goals to four different goal scorers on 33 shots against and the team never looked in control. They simply could not control possession or show any sort of creativity. 24 shots on goal almost feels generous for them.

Game 21: Monday, November 4th

Sochi 1-3 Spartak Moscow

Second verse, pretty much same as the first. The visitors scored three times on their first sixteen shots through the first two periods. The only response that the “Leopards” could muster was a goal in close by Tyanulin in which he was able to just barely get a piece of a shot-pass by LW Dmytro Timashov when the game was effectively already out of reach, with only a minute left. This was a two-game homestand to forget for Sochi. It certainly says a lot when the best part of your performance was winning a fight.

Standings update:

SKA Saint Petersburg: Second place in Western Conference (ten points behind Lokomotiv), first in Bobrov Division (1 point clear of Spartak with a game in hand), third in the league

HC Sochi: Lol (last in West/Bobrov, 21st out of 23 in league)

Next game:

2024-25 “Gazprom Cup” II

Thursday, November 7th: 11:30 AM EST

Sochi @ SKA

Last matchup:

Sochi 4-7 SKA at Bolshoy Ice Dome

Sochi: Four game losing streak (one OTL)

SKA: Three game losing streak (one OTL)

Will this be a repeat of round one?