ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (Interstat) — Goaltender Sergei Ivanov stopped all 29 shots he faced to backstop SKA Saint Petersburg to a 3-0 victory over CSKA Moscow in a Kontinental Hockey League matchup on Saturday night at Ice Palace Saint Petersburg.

Ivanov’s shutout, his first of the season, anchored a dominant defensive performance by the home side, which stifled a CSKA offense that had averaged over three goals per game in its recent outings. The win improved SKA’s record across all competitions to 25-23-1, while CSKA fell to 30-27.

The game’s outcome defied the pregame projection from Interstat, whose simulator had forecast a 4-2 CSKA victory. However, SKA entered as a slight favorite with a 51.4% win probability according to the same service’s ELO rating system.

SKA forward Nikita Dishkovsky provided all the offense the team would need, scoring twice. He opened the scoring on a first-period power play, converting a feed from Mikhail Vorobyov at the 10:21 mark. He then doubled the lead with an unassisted, even-strength goal early in the second period at 25:31, beating CSKA netminder Alexander Samonov for his ninth of the season.

Samsonov, who made 23 saves on 26 shots in the loss, kept his team within reach until late in the third period. SKA finally sealed the victory when forward Roссo Grimaldi netted his 13th goal of the campaign at 49:49 of the final frame, making it 3-0.

The match was a penalty-filled affair, with CSKA incurring seven infractions for 15 minutes and SKA taking five minors for 10 minutes. CSKA defenseman Vladislav Yeryomenko was among those penalized, taking a hooking minor in the third period. Discipline proved costly for the visiting Army Men, as they failed to capitalize on any of their five power-play opportunities, while SKA went 1 for 6 with the man advantage.

The shutout loss halts a modest positive run for CSKA, which had won three of its last four games, including a shootout victory over this same SKA squad on Feb. 1. For SKA, the win provides a measure of stability after a mixed stretch that included a shootout loss to Severstal Cherepovets in their previous outing on Wednesday.

SKA’s defensive effort was highlighted by the play of Danila Galenyuk, who logged two penalty minutes and a hit in a steady performance on the blue line. The team effectively limited CSKA’s high-danger chances, allowing Ivanov to see most shots from the perimeter.

CSKA will look to rebound quickly as it continues a busy stretch, traveling to face HC Sochi on Monday. SKA remains at home for its next contest, hosting Admiral Vladivostok on Tuesday as both clubs continue their push for playoff positioning in the KHL’s Western Conference.