This time, Vadym Shakhraichuk’s team didn`t emerge victorious in the Kyiv derby.
Kyiv Capitals – Sokil (Kyiv) – 1:2 (0:1; 0:0; 1:1)
Pucks: 0:1 – Tolstushko (Kostromitin, Sobchenko), 10:57; 0:2 – Zakharov, 40:55; 1:2 – Berdniks (Dvornyk, Melnyk), 57:15
Kyiv Capitals: Nick Vilardo; Nikita Liesnikov – Deniss Berdniks, Yevhen Sekirko – Serhii Chernenko (c) – Yaroslav Panchenko; Vladyslav Luhovyi – Mykhailo Vasyliiev, Andrii Kryvonozhkin – Sevastian Karpenko – Mykyta Oliynyk; Tymur Lapko – Oleksii Melnykov, Valentyn Sirchenko – Mykola Dvornyk – Oleksandr Koida; Denys Plesovskykh – Oleksandr Valkun
Head coach: Vadym Shakhraichuk
Sokil: Bohdan Diachenko; Vsevolod Tolstushko – Oleksandr Filimonov, Vasyl-Yurii Kachan – Vadym Mazur (c) – Illia Sobchenko; Pavlo Dvoretskyi – Pavlo Taran, Volodymyr Kostromitin – Viktor Zakharov – Denys Borodai; Mykyta Polonytskyi – Oleksandr Horlushko, Maksym Zherebko – Denys Zherebko – Danylo Rymar; Dmytro Savchuk – Matvii Burdakov – Artem Kalsin
Head coach: Oleg Shafarenko
The opponents entered this derby with recent losses and new players. Capitals bid farewell to Teamriuc after previous match, and were without Tyshchenko due to his disqualification. In goal for Vadym Shakhraichuk’s team, once again stood Vilardo.
On the other side, Romashchenko, Yanishevskyi, and Savytskyi were absent for the rivals, but there was a positive development for them with the return of Sokil’s key player, Viktor Zakharov.
Both teams had local and overarching objectives heading into their match of the championship’s second round. Following a defeat in their first-round fixture at the ATEK sports complex, Oleg Shafarenko’s squad had an added incentive to perform well. Meanwhile, the hosts were keen on extending their winning streak in the Kyiv derby.
The guests took the initiative towards their objectives, with Tolstushko finding the net from mid-range. The hosts were unable to find a quick response, and the score at the Chalette Arena remained unchanged by the end of the first period.
In the second period, Capitals took control of the game. However, they faced two key challenges today. The first obstacle was Diachenko’s stellar performance, while the second was their struggle to capitalize on power play opportunities. Despite several chances in the 5×4 game, Vadym Shakhraichuk’s team couldn’t convert. Sokil also failed to realized its power play opportunities.
The score remained 0:1 until the start of the third period, when the guests scored for the second time. Zakharov scored after exploiting a defensive misunderstanding and launching a successful counterattack against Vilardo. The hosts faced further difficulties when Sirchenko received a five-minute penalty, forcing Capitals to focus on defense rather than attacking.
Although Vadym Shakhraichuk’s team held on, they couldn’t find the back of the net. However, in the 58th minute, Diachenko’s goal was breached as Deniss Berdniks, the birthday celebrant, scored in his typical style, giving the hosts a glimmer of hope.
When the team was in need of an offensive push, Sirchenko was penalized once again. In order to maintain equal numbers on the ice and attack more aggressively, Vadym Shakhraichuk had to make a bold move by substituting Vilardo. Capitals then gained a man advantage through a two-minute penalty for Dvoretskyi.
The most dramatic moment came seven seconds before the final whistle, when Karpenko scored the second goal. Despite the goal, it was disallowed by the referees due to Kryvonozhkin’s contact with Diachenko.
This setback allowed the guests to avenge their earlier defeat with a total of 13 points. Despite the loss, Vadym Shakhraichuk’s team still had 15 points, but fell short of reclaiming the top spot.
Looking ahead, Capitals will face a crucial match against Storm-Odesa on November 27th, while Oleg Shafarenko’s team will take on Kryzhynka on Monday.
