SAINT PETERSBURG, Russia (Interstat) — CSKA Moscow seized control of its Kontinental Hockey League playoff series with a decisive 4-2 road victory over SKA Saint Petersburg on Sunday, taking a two-games-to-one lead in the best-of-seven matchup.

Playing before a crowd of 12,078 at Ice Palace Saint Petersburg, CSKA methodically built its advantage with goals in each period to secure the critical win. The victory swung the series momentum back to CSKA after SKA had evened it with a 1-0 win on home ice just two days prior.

CSKA established its forecheck early and was rewarded at the 6:47 mark of the opening period. Prokhor Poltapov netted his first goal of the playoffs, converting assists from Maxim Sorkin and Nikita Okhotyuk to quiet the home crowd.

SKA defenseman Andrei Pedan responded for the hosts later in the period, firing a shot past the CSKA goaltender at 15:49. The goal, assisted by Marat Khairullin and Sergei Plotnikov, temporarily leveled the score and seemed to energize the SKA bench.

The middle frame, however, belonged entirely to the visitors. CSKA capitalized on sustained pressure, regaining the lead at 24:46 when Denis Guryanov scored an unassisted marker, his second of the postseason. Guryanov struck again before the period ended, finishing a play set up by Nikolai Kovalenko at 33:08 to give CSKA a two-goal cushion heading into the final intermission. The period was marred by matching minor penalties to SKA’s Vladislav Romanov for checking to the head and neck area and CSKA’s Klim Kostin for high-sticking at 31:11.

SKA pushed hard in the third period to mount a comeback. Defenseman Sergei Sapego brought the home side within one, scoring his second of the playoffs at 42:25 with helpers from Romanov and Markus Phillips. The comeback bid was hampered just over three minutes later when SKA’s Yegor Zelenov took a five-minute major penalty for slashing. CSKA’s Nikita Nesterov took a minor for holding on the same play, resulting in extended four-on-four hockey.

CSKA sealed the victory with just 90 seconds remaining in regulation. Vitaly Abramov collected a loose puck and buried his first goal of the playoffs into an empty net, clinching the 4-2 final.

SKA goaltender Sergei Ivanov kept his team within reach, making 23 saves on 26 shots faced. CSKA’s defensive structure limited high-danger chances for much of the night.

The loss dropped SKA’s season record to 31 wins, 30 losses and one tie. CSKA improved to 39 wins and 31 losses. The result defied the pregame projection from Interstat, whose game simulator had predicted a 3-2 SKA victory, though its ELO system gave CSKA a narrow 50.40 percent probability to win.

With the series lead now in hand, CSKA will look to extend its advantage when the teams meet again for Game 4 at Ice Palace Saint Petersburg.