Vadym Shakhraichuk’s team could not get the championship title at the Chalette Arena.
Kyiv Capitals – Kremenchuk – 2:3 (0:1; 1:1; 1:1)
Pucks: 0:1 – Braha (Abadzhian, Poperezhai, – power play), 01:16; 1:1 – Koida (Sekirko, Tyshchenko), 33:12; 1:2 – Abadzhian (Poperezhai, Braha), 39:51; 1:3 – Braha (Poperezhai, Abadzhian), 40:20; 2:3 – Panchenko (Kryvonozhkin, Karpenko), 58:29.
Kyiv Capitals: Radek Haas; Mykhailo Vasyliiev – Deniss Berdniks, Yang Hu – Serhii Chernenko (c) – Yaroslav Panchenko; Valentyn Sirchenko – Vladyslav Luhovyi, Andrii Kryvonozhkin – Sevastian Karpenko – Mykyta Oliynyk; Tymur Lapko – Oleksii Melnykov, Nikita Liesnikov – Yevhen Sekirko – Danylo Tyshchenko; Eetu Moksunen – Matvii Mazko, Oleksandr Koida – Oleksandr Valkun – Ihor Shevchenko
Head coach: Vadym Shakhraichuk
Kremenchuk: Eduard Zakharchenko; Bohdan Piddubnyi – Daniil Kryvenko, Vitalii Lialka (c) – Bohdan Serednytskyi – Artem Tselohorodtsev; Bohdan Pankov – Dmytro Ihnatenko, Dmytro Poperezhai – Vladyslav Braha – Yevhenii Abadzhian; Denys Matusevych – Tymofii Materykin, Mykhailo Hevorkian – Hlib Kryvoshapkin – Yehor Bezuhlyi; Volodymyr Ponomarenko – Rasim Abdullaiev, Viacheslav Andrushchenko – Daniil Duka – Yurii Myronenko
Head coach: Andrii Sriubko
Series score – 3:2
Before the fifth match of the final series, the opponents approached with a significantly smaller infirmary. Fortunately for the guests, Kryvoshapkin’s injury turned out not to be serious and he was in the squad. Abdullaiev also returned to the line-up as expected. Meanwhile, Sekirko and Koida were back in the Capitals roster, and Haas took his place in goal.
The guests had a better start of the match. Just 28 seconds in, Berdniks received a penalty, and the guests quickly took advantage of this opportunity. After a solo run, Poperezhai found Braha who opened the score.
By the end of the first period, our team had two opportunities to play 5×4, but our players failed to capitalize it. Nevertheless, Vadym Shakhraychuk’s team managed to seize the initiative and put more pressure on Zakharchenko, but Kremenchuk`s goalkeeper played well.
Finally, in the 34th minute, the hosts did manage to score. Koida was the first to reach the rebound after Tyschenko’s shot and leveled the score. However, our team got a little carried away with the attack and conceded a goal in 9 seconds before the second break. Once again, the second trio of Kremenchuk’s attack showed themselves well. Braha passed to Abadzhian, and Yevhenii, with an unstoppable shot into the corner of the goal, once again brought the lead to his team.
The beginning of the third period was no less bitter for Capitals. And again, the trio Poperezhai-Abadzhhian-Braha demonstrated their skills. Braha who managed to score a double, scoring a quick goal for the second time.
In the middle of the third period, Vadym Shakhraichuk’s players got the fourth chance for power play, but the Kyiv team played rather sluggishly during these two minutes.
On 2:17 before the end, Vadym Shakhraichuk replaced Haas in goal for a 6×5 game. Panchenko managed to quickly respond with one goal, but the game didn`t reach overtime.
So, the fight for the championship continues. The next match of the series will take place on April 8 in Kremenchuk.
