January 27th, 18:00, Kyiv, Arena Chalette. Broadcast: YouTube Setanta Sports

Vadym Shakhraichuk’s players are back on the ice after a six-day break. The team kicked off the year with a rigorous training regimen and went on to secure victory over Kryzhynka twice during the championship, even in the absence of Andrii Kryvonozhkin (Universiade bronze medalist) and Nazar Boiko (World Champion in division 1B) for one of the matches.

As for our goalkeeper, he is facing a new challenge in his career as he prepares for a training camp with the Ukrainian national team from February 3 to 8. Before that, he must put in solid performances in domestic championship matches.

On the other side, Oleksandr Bobkin’s squad had over a month-long break since their last match on December 26 in the championship, where they triumphed over Kryzhynka with a convincing 7:1 scoreline at the Chalette Arena.

However, key members like Oleksandr Bobkin, Bohdan Trushchenko, Nikita Krugliakov, Artem Portnoi, Hlib Varava, Dmytro Kobylnyk, Illia Kryklya, Serhii Poimanov, Serhii Stetsyura, and Mykyta Sydorenko were away representing Ukraine in various capacities, showcasing their talent and commitment to success. Congratulations to all on their outstanding achievements.

Despite the passage of time, we must remember the significant news that impacted the hockey community in late December. The trade between Storm-Odesa and Kremenchuk has brought about some major changes. Eduard Zakharchenko and Rasim Abdullaiev, who have already debuted for the new team will now continue their careers in Kremenchuk. In exchange, Mykyta Hordiushyn, Nikita Kruhliakov, and Sviatoslav Tymchenko have moved in the opposite direction, and these players are likely to make their Odesa debut today.

Tonight’s game marks the fourth and final meeting in Kyiv during the regular season. Currently, Vadym Shakhraichuk’s team holds the advantage with the best statistics, having secured an away win in a shootout and a 4:2 victory at home. Nonetheless, the team from Southern Palmira also boasts a win on their opponent’s ice.

In terms of top scorers in head-to-head matches, Storm-Odesa has three standout players in Valentyn Aleksiuk, Serhii Stetsiura, and Yevhenii Ratushnyi, each finding the net twice. On the other side, Danylo Tyshchenko has scored three goals for the Kyiv team.

As the Capitals enter today’s match with a +13 points differential over their opponents, it is essential to note that our team has played two additional matches. Consequently, a face-off between two teams within the TOP-4 standings is always competitive and captivating. We believe today’s match will live up to that expectation.