All-Star Game:

The Bobrov Division’s “Gazprom Cup” clubs contributed more than a fair amount to their triumph against the Tarasov Division in the semifinals. SKA’s Ivan Demidov and Alexander Nikishin racked up two goals and two assists, respectively, while Sochi’s Timur Khafizov tallied a hat trick. The Bobrov Division came away 9-6 victors for a crack at the championship. In a gun-slinging final against the Chernyshev Division, wherein 11 total goals were scored in the second period, Demidov and Khafizov would post 1g-1a each. However, they would fall just short of their title aspirations, losing 9-8.

SKA Saint Petersburg:

Game 54: Tuesday, February 11th

SKA 1–3 Dynamo Moscow

Game 55: Thursday, February 13th

SKA 5–2 Barys Astana

Despite Yegor Zavragin’s return to being dressed in the last game before the break, he did not get the start in the return match. However, the backup for the day would be called upon before it was all said and done. Moisevich stopped just 14 of 17 shots against, with two of them being goals he was beaten cleanly on. Zavragin saw the defensive structure tighten up in front of him and the team had an answer with a goal in the final frame. However, when called upon, he also did his job, stopping all 9 shots that he faced. He really should’ve gotten the start, and he would in the next one.

Admittedly, the first goal of the game by Barys was the result of a self-inflicted wound, as Zavragin performed what Frank Reynolds would refer to as a “botch job” behind his own net in the lead-up. However, he and the team played pretty mistake-free hockey in most of the rest of game time. I was fairly impressed by the team’s clinical efficiency in the rest of the run even bearing in mind it was against an extremely weak opponent (the league’s worst team, in fact). Despite some consistency woes this year, this is reflective of what SKA has been capable of all season. As noted by HockeyNewsHub, SKA became the first team to 200 goals in the KHL this season in this matchup and grew an already impressive lead that they have in that category historically. For whatever else they may be, one must wonder if being an offensive juggernaut is a good enough superlative to their name to help them compete come playoff time.

HC Sochi:

Game 53: Tuesday, February 11th

Sochi 3–2 Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (OT)

Game 54: Thursday, February 13th

Sochi 2–0 CSKA Moscow

I’ll give ’em credit this week. They faced a tough situation as they allowed 2 goals inside the first ten minutes of the third. They quickly had the response, then capitalized in OT. The process by which it occurred was also quite a good thing to watch. Amir Garayev was the beneficiary of them trying to get pucks on net as a bounce found him when he had plenty of open net. Alexander Yaremchuk would subsequently tie it up, then serve as the hero in the extra frame.

The game against CSKA also had me impressed. They forced a turnover before Alexander Khokhlachev’s opened the scoring in the dying seconds of the first period. Subsequently, they would go toe-to-toe with CSKA in possession in the ensuing couple of frames. CSKA were aggressive in their attempts to tie up the game, but Sochi would always have the counterpunch. Eventually, Khafizov would have the empty netter to ice the game.

I have to say, though, I still believe this is lost. The final run of the year includes another game against CSKA and matchups with Dynamo, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, Metallurg Magnitogorsk, their final game against SKA, and one more round with division leaders Spartak Moscow. With that many strong opponents on the slate, I cannot imagine that they will take many points out of it.

Standings update:

SKA: 5th in Western Conference, 1st in Bobrov Division (1 point ahead of Spartak, who have two games in hand)

Sochi: lol (last in everything, save for the overall league standings. They’re only 21st out of 23rd there! Hang the banner!)

Next games:

SKA: @ Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk – Saturday, February 15th: 9:00 AM EST

Sochi: @ CSKA Moscow – Monday, February 17th: 11:30 AM