Ak Bars Kazan delivered an emphatic performance against SKA St. Petersburg, securing an 8-3 victory during their Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) matchup held on February 4, 2025. This win marked Ak Bars’ fourth consecutive triumph, solidifying their place as serious contenders within the league.
From the first whistle, the pace was set by Ak Bars, who wasted no time scoring. Just 25 seconds after the game began, Semen Terikhov found the back of the net with assists from Dmitry Yashkin and Nikita Lyamkin, kickstarting the scoring frenzy. Within the first six minutes, Artem Galimov doubled the lead, showcasing his remarkable skill by capitalizing on the defensive lapse of SKA. This opening flurry continued with Alexey Pustozerv netting the third goal by the tenth minute of play.
Despite SKA briefly cutting the deficit with Valentin Zyikov’s goal, Ak Bars quickly responded with relentless attacking. Galimov, riding the momentum of his performance, soon completed his hat-trick by the end of the first period. His efforts not only showcased his prowess as the leading sniper for Ak Bars, but they also ignited his team's spirits.
Throughout the first period, Ak Bars scored six times, including two more goals from Galimov, one more from Lyamkin, and Semen Koshelev’s power-play marker, totaling to 7-1 by the end of the second period. Ak Bars’ goal execution and strategic maneuvering had left the home team reeling, unable to keep pace.
SKA's struggles continued as the game progressed. The head coach, Roman Rotenberg, expressed frustration after the game, noting, "When we say we will score zero next match, we don't mean it as a joke," reflecting on the team’s defensive woes and the rapid succession of goals allowed.
Despite SKA fighting back and registering two more goals from Zakhar Bardakov, their attempts were overshadowed by Ak Bars' disciplined play and the skillful engagements led by Galimov, who managed to score three times. His hat-trick not only highlighted his season's performance but also allowed him to take the second position among the league's top scorers.
AK Bars finalized the score at 8-3 when Artyom Brovkin finished with an empty-net goal as SKA gambled by pulling their goalie. The Kazan team finished the match with 70 points and climbed to second place in the Eastern Conference standings, four points behind the league-leading Traktor, boasting three games still to play.
Looking forward, Ak Bars is on the cusp of strengthening their playoff position with their next match against Avtomobilist on February 6, reaffirming their ascent through the season. Rotenberg's SKA will have to regroup as they seek to reverse their fortunes after this commanding defeat.