TOGLIATTI (Interstat) — Nikita Podskrebalin stopped all 36 shots he faced, and Nikolai Makarov scored the only goal as Lada Togliatti beat SKA Saint Petersburg 1-0 on Thursday in a Kontinental Hockey League game at Lada Arena. The win improved Lada to 2-14, while SKA fell to 8-7. Attendance was 3,513. The result gave Lada a rare victory and sent SKA to another road defeat.

Podskrebalin was the game’s top star. He made 36 saves on 36 shots for his first win of the season. The performance came after recent starts in which he made 28 saves on 29 shots in a loss at Amur Khabarovsk and 24 saves on 29 shots in a loss against Shanghai Dragons. Lada’s goaltender was steady throughout, turning aside every SKA attempt and helping Lada protect a one-goal lead. His shutout effort anchored a defensive performance that kept SKA from scoring despite sustained pressure.

Andrei Chivilev had one assist on the game’s only goal to go with three shots on goal and one hit. Nikolai Makarov scored that goal, his only shot of the game. The 6-foot-3, 234-pound defenseman converted during a power play, with Chivilev and Ostap Safin picking up assists. Safin’s assist was his first of the season, while Chivilev’s was his sixth. The goal came while SKA’s Danil Aimurzin was serving a hooking penalty, giving Lada a power play. Makarov’s tally stood as the winner.

Matvei Korotky of SKA had three shots on goal, four penalty minutes and two hits. Ben King of Lada had three shots on goal and was listed at 6-foot-3 and 203 pounds. Korotky’s activity helped SKA generate chances, but Lada’s defense and Podskrebalin repeatedly answered. King’s shots added to Lada’s attack as it tried to build on the lead.

Vasily Glotov of SKA recorded four shots on goal and was listed at 5-foot-10 and 181 pounds. Mason Millman of Lada also had four shots, with the 6-foot-2, 179-pound defenseman active from the blue line. Daniil Miromanov of SKA registered five shots and was listed at 6-foot-3 and 198 pounds. Andrei Pedan of SKA had four shots and two hits. The 6-foot-5, 227-pound defenseman from Kaunas, Lithuania, was physical throughout. Valentin Zykov of SKA finished with five shots and two hits, matching Miromanov for the team lead in shots.

Penalties shaped the game from the start. Lada’s Ostap Safin was called for hooking at 5:14 of the first period. SKA’s Nikolai Chebykin received a tripping minor at 9:04. Lada’s Evgeny Groshev was sent off for slashing at 17:44. SKA’s Danil Aimurzin was whistled for hooking at 19:50. In the second period, Chebykin was called for holding at 28:21, Yegor Savikov for tripping at 30:37, and Korotky for tripping at 32:53. Lada’s Ivan Zinchenko received a roughing minor at 34:58. Groshev picked up an interference minor at 35:10, and Korotky was called for slashing at 35:24. SKA finished with six minor penalties, while Lada took four.

Lada’s victory was a bright spot in a difficult season. Lada had lost at Amur Khabarovsk 1-0, fallen at Admiral Vladivostok 4-3 in overtime and dropped a 5-0 home decision to Shanghai Dragons in recent games. SKA had lost at Severstal Cherepovets 2-0, fallen at Dynamo Moscow 4-3 in overtime and lost at Dinamo Minsk 4-2. Earlier this season, Lada lost at SKA 2-1 and 4-3, both in overtime. Lada improved to 2-14, while SKA dropped to 8-7. Lada next hosts Dynamo Moscow. SKA next hosts Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of SKA 2, Lada 0. Its ELO system gave SKA a 74.4 percent probability to win. The over/under line was 5.5. The actual total was 1, far from the projected scoring pace.