First Win of the New Year: Dragons Hold Off Lada

The Shanghai Dragons picked up their first victory of 2026 on home ice, edging Lada Togliatti 3–2 on Sunday at SKA Arena.

Mike Kelly again filled in behind the bench for Gerard Gallant, while veteran forward Ilya Kablukov made his Dragons debut, slotting into the fourth line alongside Sucese and Akolzin. Patrik Rybar got the start in goal.

Strong Start Sets the Tone

Shanghai came out flying and quickly took control of the game. Just 2:38 in, Merkley slipped behind the net, fell while making a perfect feed to the crease, and Spencer Foo finished from point-blank range to open the scoring.

The Dragons stayed aggressive and were rewarded again midway through the period. Kevin Labanc tossed a puck toward the net, it kicked loose to Sutter, and the forward snapped it home to make it 2–0. Lada had difficulty generating sustained pressure, running into a well-structured Shanghai defense that avoided unnecessary risks.

Missed Chances, Momentum Swing

A late penalty to Josephs carried into the second period. The Dragons killed it off, but at even strength Lada capitalized on a quick counterattack, with Tyanulin finding Savchik at the far post to cut the deficit to 2-1.

Shanghai continued to control play, creating several quality looks that went unfinished. The best opportunity came late in the period when Lada was forced to defend a 5-on-3 for over a minute, but the Dragons couldn’t crack the coverage, leaving the door open for a push in the third.

Back-and-Forth to the Finish

That push arrived early. Less than three minutes into the final period, Lada worked the puck to the crease and Groshev pounced on it to tie the game at 2–2. The response from Shanghai was immediate. The Dragons leaned into a sustained offensive-zone cycle, forcing Bocharov into multiple saves as momentum teetered. Lada pushed back as well, nearly springing a breakaway and ringing a shot off the post.

At 49:02, the breakthrough came. Somerby shook free along the boards and delivered a sharp pass to Foo parked at the edge of the crease. The captain buried his second of the night into an open net to restore the lead. From there, Shanghai closed the game with poise. Skaters blocked shots, lanes were sealed, and Rybar stood tall whenever the puck reached him, preserving the 3–2 win.

The Dragons continue their homestand on January 7, hosting Amur at SKA Arena. Puck drop is set for 2:00 p.m., with tickets available now.

FONBET KHL Regular Season
Shanghai Dragons – Lada Togliatti 3–2 (2–0, 0–1, 1–1)

January 5 | Saint Petersburg, SKA Arena | Attendance: 7,397
Goaltenders: Rybar – Bocharov

Scoring Summary:

1-0 — S. Foo (Mrekley, Josephs) 02:38
2-0 — Sutter (Labanc, Clendening) 14:22
2-1 — Savchik (Tyanulin, Setdikov) 22:43
2-2 — Groshev (Mikhailov, Graovac) 42:53
3-2 — S. Foo (Somerby, Wagner) 49:02

Press Office, Shanghai Dragons