CSKA edges Torpedo. January 15 round-up

League leader CSKA was the overwhelming favorite at home to an off-color Torpedo team, but found its opponent in obdurate mood. It took a solitary goal from Stephane da Costa – his 24th of the season – to separate the teams as goalies Kevin Lalande and Mikhail Biryukov impressed between the piping. Da Costa’s goal was a memorable one, however, coming off a swift break from center ice and finishing off some slick interplay involving Jan Mursak and Simon Hjalmarsson to open the scoring late in the first period. There were few clear scoring opportunities in the second, but the third period saw Igor Grigorenko go close of a da Costa pass before Jarkko Immonen spurned a great opportunity to tie it up for the visitor late on, firing straight at Lalande when clean through on the net. SKA goes to a shoot-out in Riga Dinamo Riga surprised SKA on its previous visit to Latvia and the men in maroon almost did it again, taking the game to overtime before succumbing to the ...