Vadym Shakhraichuk’s players scored a double-digit number of goals against Dnipro for the first time this season.
Dnipro (Kherson) – Kyiv Capitals – 3:10 (1:3; 1:4; 1:3)
Pucks: 0:1 – Sekirko (Shevchenko, Dvornyk), 02:22; 0:2 – Kryvonozhkin (Moksunen), 14:12; 1:2 – Val. Muryn (Delii, Mazur), 15:25; 1:3 – Liesnikov (Berdniks, Hu, – power play), 17:33; 1:4 – Panchenko (Lapko), 24:57; 1:5 – Berdniks, 25:46; 2:5 – Laktionov (Derkach, Zhovtiak), 27:34; 2:6 – Panchenko (Hu), 31:20; 2:7 – Karpenko (Oliynyk, Kryvonozhkin), 36:17; 3:7 – Val. Muryn (double power play), 44:56; 3:8 – Hu (short-handed), 45:50; 3:9 – Kryvonozhkin (Karpenko, – power play), 56:36; 3:10 – Liesnikov (Hu, Oliynyk), 59:59
Dnipro: Mykyta Terletskyi; Valentyn Muryn – Denys Roiko, Mykhailo Tsiura – Dmytro Khalin – Yurii Smerteniuk; Albert Ventliand – Ivan Nikolaienko, Tymofii Laktionov – Daniil Derkach – Maksym Zhovtiak; Kyrylo Bortnikov (c) – Vladyslav Onyshchenko, Hlib Chupryna – Yehor Vasyliiev – Tymofii Ponomariov; Mykhailo Zinchenko – Dmytro Mazur, Mykhailo Delii – Danylo Honcharenko – Oleksandr Zhurenko
Head coach: Kostyantyn Butsenko
Kyiv Capitals: Nazar Boiko; Nikita Liesnikov – Deniss Berdniks, Danylo Tyshchenko – Yang Hu – Yaroslav Panchenko; Dash Quartarolo – Eetu Moksunen, Andrii Kryvonozhkin – Sevastian Karpenko (c) – Mykyta Oliynyk; Tymur Lapko – Valentyn Sirchenko, Ihor Shevchenko – Yevhen Sekirko – Mykola Dvornyk; Mykhailo Vasyliiev, Denys Plesovskykh – Oleksandr Valkun – Oleksandr Koida
Head coach: Vadym Shakhraichuk
Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances on the road, our team arrived in Bila Tserkva later than expected, causing a 45-minute delay in the start of the match.
Dnipro fielded 20 players for the game, while Capitals were short only one defender in the fourth pair. Due to various reasons, Chernenko, Luhovyi, and Melnykov were absent from the match, and their spots in the starting line-up were filled by the newcomers, Hu and Quartarolo.
Vadym Shakhraichuk’s team quickly took the lead thanks to Sekirko’s goal. In the eighth minute, the Kherson team had their first power play opportunity after Quartarolo’s penalty, but they were unable to capitalize on it.
On the other hand, the Kyiv team extended their lead in the second half of the period. Moksunen made a shot from the blue line, and Kryvonozhkin took the puck to Terletskyi`s goal. However, it didn’t take long for the Pikes to narrow the gap against their opponents. Valentyn Muryn set up Delii for a shot, and then capitalized on the rebound after Boiko’s save to score.
Soon, the guests seized the first opportunity to play 5×4 and executed it successfully, with the first pair of defensemen displaying excellent coordination. Berdniks made a powerful shot, and Liesnikov skillfully sent the puck into the goal.
In the second period, Shakhraichuk’s team extended their lead as Panchenko notched his 21st goal of the season with a precise shot from a sharp angle, catching Terletskyi off guard.
The Kyiv team capitalized on Bortnikov’s mistake as he passed the puck directly to Berdniks, who unleashed a blistering shot into the top corner of Terletskyi’s net.
Nonetheless, Kostiantyn Butsenko’s squad didn’t back down. Laktionov scored and made score 2:5. However, Capitals headed into the second break with a significantly more comfortable lead. Panchenko secured a double following a delightful assist from Hu, marking the Canadian’s debut in the team. Soon after, the current captain, Karpenko, also notched his 21st goal of the season.
In the third period, the Kherson team scored a double power play goal. Quartarolo set up Muryn for a beautiful finish. Despite Dnipro’s best efforts on their own power play, our team capitalized it with a goal. Hu intercepted Tsiura and netted his first goal in the Ukrainian championship when his team was short-handed.
Capitals extended their lead with another power play goal. Karpenko assisted Kryvonozhkin for his second goal of the game. In the final seconds, Liesnikov notched the team’s tenth goal of the match, his second of the night.
Capitals have now scored double-digit goals in two consecutive matches. With this win, Vadym Shakhraichuk’s squad reached 51 points, drawing level with Sokil, who have a game in hand. Capitals will face Oleg Shafarenko’s team on February 14, while Kherson will take on Kryzhynka on Saturday.
