Vadym Shakhraichuk’s team extended their impressive winning streak by defeating the reigning vice-champion in their home arena once again.
Kyiv Capitals – Kremenchuk – – 5:3 (2:1; 1:0; 2:2)
Pucks: 1:0 – Bezuhlyi (Berdniks, Koida), 02:26; 1:1 – Braha, 13:16; 2:1 – Oliynyk (Dvornyk, Kryvonozhkin), 19:49; 3:1 – Kryvonozhkin (Dvornyk, Oliynyk), 31:04; 3:2 – Lialka (Tselohorodtsev), 41:17; 3:3 – Matviienko (Serednytskyi, Matusevych, majority), 48:13; 4:3 – Kryvonozhkin (Taran, Serkirko, majority), 57:09; 5:3 – Panchenko (Chernenko), 57:40
Kyiv Capitals: Boris Babik; Kostyantyn Ryabenko – Deniss Berdniks, Vladyslav Kutsevych – Serhii Chernenko (c) – Yaroslav Panchenko; Eetu Moksunen – Pavlo Taran, Andrii Kryvonozhkin – Mykola Dvornyk – Mykyta Oliynyk; Valentyn Sirchenko – Danylo Babchuk, Yevhen Sekirko – Vladyslav Luhovyi – Danylo Tyshchenko; Denys Plesovskykh – Tymur Lapko, Yehor Bezuhlyi – Oleksandr Valkun – Oleksandr Koida
Head coach: Vadym Shakhraichuk
Kremenchuk: Kyrylo Kucher; Denys Matusevych – Philip Matviienko, Vitalii Lialka (c) – Artem Tselohorodtsev – Bohdan Serednytskyi; Bohdan Pankov – Dmytro Ignatenko, Sviatoslav Tymchenko – Hlib Kryvoshapkin – Yevhenii Abadzhian; Tymofii Savytskyi, Maksym Maksymenko – Borys Andriushchenko – Mykhailo Hevorkian – Daniil Kryvenko; Nikita Kruglyakov – Tymofii Materykin, Illia Fedorov – Vladyslav Braha – Dmytro Poperezhai
Head coach: Dmytro Sumets
In contrast to the previous match against Sokil, this time our team took the lead by scoring an early goal. Once again, Berdniks showcased his remarkable shooting skills, shooting from a distance in his signature style, and Bezuhlyi skillfully put the puck into Kucher’s goal. It is worth mentioning that this marks Yehor’s first goal after his move to Kyiv Capitals.
However, for the first time in the history of matches in Kyiv, Dmytro Sumets’ team managed to make an impact during the first period. Despite Braha’s shot from an incredibly long distance, which seemed harmless, Babik misjudged the puck’s bounce from the ice and was forced to concede a goal.
Towards the end of the first 20 minutes, the home team had an opportunity to play with an extra player for two minutes due to a penalty, but they couldn’t take full advantage of this situation. Nevertheless, Vadym Shakhraichuk’s players still ended the first period as the leaders on the scoreboard. Although Kryvonozhkin lost his balance, he managed to shoot from behind the goal, and while Kucher handled Dvornyk’s shot, he couldn’t stop Oliynyk from scoring on the rebound.
In the second period, the Kyiv team showcased their dominance by capitalizing on their advantage. The second link of the attack stood out with their effective gameplay. Dvornyk and Kryvonozhkin orchestrated a rapid 2 on 1 offensive, resulting in Andrii’s 16th goal of the championship. Additionally, Mykola provided a double assist, enhancing the team’s lead.
Throughout this 20-minute period, only one player from each team was expelled, with Babchuk, an ex-Kremenchuk player, receiving the penalty. Despite having a numerical advantage, the opposing team failed to convert it into a goal.
As the third period commenced, Dmytro Sumets’ team swiftly took control of the puck. Taking advantage of the Kyiv Capitals uncertain defense near their own goal, Lialka netted his 24th puck of the season, catching up to the championship’s top scorer, Panchenko.
In the 45th minute, Capitals faced further complications as Moksunen received a five-minute suspension for a rough foul against Hevorkian. The visiting team capitalized on this advantage. Matviienko was the first to strike, capitalizing on Serednytskyi’s shot, thereby equalizing the score.
In the 58th minute, Capitals had a stroke of luck. Vadym Shakhraichuk’s team took advantage of their majority and scored a goal. Taran made a stunning pass to Kryvonozhkin, who calmly outplayed Kucher and scored a double. Within a short span of 30 seconds, the championship’s top scorer and best assistant showcased their skills. Chernenko took a shot from behind the goal, and Panchenko increased Kyiv Capitals’ lead to two pucks. This marked Serhii’s 26th assist and Yaroslav’s 25th goal of the season.
As a result, hosts secured their third victory over Kremenchuk on home ice, surpassing their rivals in the standings. Both teams currently have 41 points, but Kyiv Capitals hold the second position due to better additional indicators.
It is worth mentioning that Kyiv Capitals and Kremenchuk will play their next matches the following Sunday. Our team will travel to Odesa to face Dnipro, while Dmytro Sumets’ team will play against Tryzub on their home ice.
