Vadym Shakhraichuk’s team managed to make a comeback during the match, but the winning goal was scored by guests.
Kyiv Capitals – Storm-Odesa – 2:3 (0:2; 2:0; 0:1)
Pucks: 0:1 – Aleksiuk (Nikonov, Novikov), 10:02; 0:2 – Aleksiuk (Stetsiura, Novikov), 13:12; 1:2 – Luhovyi (Berdniks, Oliynyk, – power play), 20:35; 2:2 – Berdniks (Teamriuc, Panchenko, – power play), 35:18; 2:3 – Stetsiura (Sydorenko, Kryklia), 41:08.
Kyiv Capitals: Nick Vilardo; Nikita Liesnikov – Deniss Berdniks, Vladyslav Teamriuc – Serhii Chernenko (c) – Yaroslav Panchenko; Vladyslav Luhovyi – Valentyn Sirchenko, Andrii Kryvonozhkin – Sevastian Karpenko – Mykyta Oliynyk; Tymur Lapko – Oleksii Melnykov, Danylo Tyshchenko – Yevhen Sekirko – Mykola Dvornyk; Denys Plesovskykh – Oleksandr Valkun – Oleksandr Koida
Head coach: Vadym Shakhraichuk
Storm-Odesa: Eduard Zakharchenko; Yevhenii Ratushnyi (c) – Hlib Varava, Mykyta Sydorenko – Illia Kryklia – Dmytro Kobylnyk; Anton Stotskyi – Rasim Abdullaiev, Daniil Skorokhod – Vladyslav Kutsevych – Dmytro Mosiuk; Sava Novikov – Artem Portnoi, Anatolii Revuka – Serhii Poimanov – Ivan Omelchuk; Ruslan Boiko – Dmytro Sapozhnik, Viktor Nikonov – Valentyn Aleksiuk – Serhii Stetsiura
Head coach: Oleksandr Bobkin
The reported match was the first in history between these teams, but it didn`t happen without a debut. The match featured Nick Vilardo, who had been previously announced on our website. The club received all the necessary application documents, and the American took his place in the goal during his first match. Many fans were eagerly anticipating this match, as it brought together the leaders of the championship and the only teams that hadn`t tasted the defeat yet.
The first period belonged to the visiting team, who typically showcased a strong four-five formation. Their strategy proved effective, as Nikonov assisted Aleksiuk with a brilliant pass from behind the goal, leaving Vilardo no chance with a close-range shot. Just three minutes later, Aleksiuk scored again, catching the Capitals keeper off guard with a shot from a sharp angle.
Before the end of the first period, an air-raid alarm sounded in Kyiv, prompting a 35-minute delay in the continuation of the match.
The hosts came back onto the ice with renewed energy. In the opening minute, Kyiv team scored a goal on a power play, with Berdniks’ initial shot being blocked only for him to pick up the rebound and set up Luhovyi for an easy finish past Zakharchenko.
By the end of the second period, Capitals scored one more time and did it once again by power play. Teamriuc’s pass found Berdniks, who buried a long-range shot past Odesa’s goalkeeper on his second attempt.
Early in the final period, Oleksandr Bobkin’s team edged ahead once more. Stetsiura, assisted by Sydorenko, blasted a powerful shot past Vilardo for the third time.
Despite their efforts, Kyiv couldn’t find an equalizer. Instead, the game ended in a series of scuffles between players from both sides. As a result, Storm-Odesa climbed to the top of the standings with eight points, while Kyiv Capitals slipped to third place with six points.
Next up for Vadym Shakhraichuk’s squad is a challenging encounter against Kremenchuk on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Storm-Odesa will face Dnipro in Bila Tserkva a day earlier.
