On the eve of the match-up with Sibselmash, SKA had suffered a big blow: Pavel Ryazantsev, one of the best League's forwards was disqualified for unsportsmanlike conduct in the previous game against Uralskiy Trubnik. We are still  unaware of the penalty duration imposition, it may be covering from one to three games and to the best of our knowledge, it will be sanctioned today by the Board. Despite of the loss of a top player, SKA were looked upon as dead cert winners. Ten days ago SKA easily routed Sibselmash on home ice, 8-1. Those Bandy League's regular seasons stats, 13 consecutive wins under their belts seemed to have left no doubt about a winner, but this time around all those stats were to be gainsaid and re-written. 

The game against Sibselmash turned out to be a total frustration for SKA. "You snooze, you lose" kind of situation took on even a gloomier disposition. Had they used at least some of the numerous chances to score, they would have triumphed over their opponent all throughout the entire game with their heads held high, but instead, a couple of times they were caught unawares by one-on-one saucer passes in a bandy fashion over their backs, leaving our team's goaltender, Denis Rysev to face the music and pay for an error-ridden team performance. In both instances our players were able to set up equalizers, but, alas, they failed to do it for the third time after the former SKA player Artyom Vshivkov found the back of the net superbly having executed a 12 -meter penalty shot five minutes prior to the final call. A sensational win over SKA, 3-2, to the Sibselmash fans utmost delight, the first one since November 19, 2013.

On January 11, our hometown team is playing Baikal-Energia from Irkutsk, a perpetual rival and last year gold medal contender. They are coming home after it to end up their three game road trip.