CSKA Moscow 3 HC Sochi 1 (0-0, 1-1, 2-0)

The first period was goalless. CSKA had plenty of possession, but struggled to test Joel Lassinantti on his KHL debut in the Sochi net. Of 20 shots unleashed by the home team, only eight got as far as the Finn, and he had little difficulty in holding on to them.

The second period looked like it might follow a similar pattern: CSKA clearly on top, but Lassinantti not unduly troubled. Then events took a surprising turn. Marcus Nilsson, a nippy 29-year-old winger who top scored in last season’s Swedish Hockey League, stunned the home team when he put Sochi in front midway through the game.

However, CSKA was soon back on level terms. Klas Dahlbeck went right around the back of the net and popped up the puck for Konstantin Okulov to stuff it home at the far post.

The third period began with a CSKA blitz. Mat Robinson put the home team in front 30 seconds after the restart, lasering a wrister from the right-hand circle. Then, despite a penalty for Nikita Korostelyov, the Army Men extended their lead when Mikhail Karnaukhov broke into the Sochi zone and surprised Lassinantti with a shot over the glove to make it 3-1.