Khabarovsk “SKA-Neftyanik” defeated “Baikal-Energy” in Irkutsk

The match was very tense and ended with a score of 0:3 in favor of the guests

After a difficult game in Nizhny Novgorod, where SKA-Neftyanik fought against two opponents at once – Nizhny Novgorod “Start” and the weather – at the stadium it was either snow and rain, or just sleet, the Khabarovsk team arrived in frosty Irkutsk. A lot of strength in Nizhny Novgorod, both moral and physical, was spent, hence the low score – 3:1. On the banks of the Angara, the army was waiting for a new test – Baikal-Energy. The team strengthened well in the pre-season, including due to the top players last season, who spent in Khabarovsk.

In the championship, the Irkutsk team demonstrate good speed and a desire to win. In general, a difficult opponent, who probably thoroughly studied the previous games of the Khabarovsk team and drew conclusions from this. It was to be expected that Baikal-Energia would try to take full advantage of its attacking potential in order to seize the initiative on the ice from the first minutes. Khabarovsk, paying tribute to the very aggressive hockey in the first half, was also not going to doze off. The game turned out to be sharp, full of dangerous moments, but, unfortunately, both teams were let down by the implementation. Well, of course, the goalkeepers did not doze off. Both Grigory Lapin and Viktor Kamenev stopped most of the threats at their gates.

On 14 minutes Khabarovsk SKA gets the right to a 12-meter free kick. Vladimir Kalanchin was on goal, but he could not beat Grigory Lapin. The first goal was scored on 23 minutes by Roman Darkovsky. However, Vladimir Kalanchin did not remain without goals in the first half, hitting the gates of the Irkutsk team in the 35th minute. There were no more goals in the first game segment, although I repeat there were enough moments. Irkutsk especially added at the end of the half, trying to change the score, which was not very pleasant for itself, but luck was on the side of the guests, the rods and experienced Viktor Kamenev. In general, the Khabarovsk team preferred not to take risks and, in case of serious danger, almost all the players immediately rolled back, but at the slightest opportunity, rushing to the attack.

They say Grigory Lapin is nicknamed “the wall”. Even if not, he fully deserved it. It was thanks to this player that the Khabarovsk team could not score the first forty minutes in the second half. Lapin saved two more penalties and countless shots on target from the best forwards in bandy. But the Irkutsk people were critically unlucky, someone had the ball off the stick, someone had a skate, someone just thrashed past the frame, but the goalkeeper of the Khabarovsk team also did not yawn. Viktor Kamenev is the second hero of this match. Only in the 89th minute, the Khabarovsk team were able to break the scoring drought. Dmitry Sidrov scored the third goal from a corner. There were no more goals in this match, the game ended with a score of 0:3 in favor of SKA-Neftyanik. The army team is returning to Khabarovsk, where in early December they will play with the Arkhangelsk “Vodnik”.

Read also: Khabarovsk “SKA-Neftyanik” defeated the Nizhny Novgorod “Start” with a score of 3:1