Vadym Shakhraichuk’s wards lost to «Kremenchuk» and took second place in Group B.
«Kremenchuk» – «Kyiv Capitals» (Kyiv) – 4:1 (2:1, 1:0, 1:0)
Pucks: 1:0 – Lyalka (Matusevich), 03:53; 2:0 – Tymchenko (Serednytskyi, minority), 08:49; 2:1 – Krivonozhkin (Sekirko, Taran), 18:01; 3:1 – Braga (Serednytskyi), 30:11; 4:1 – Serednytskyi (Tymchenko, minority), 49:20.
«Kremenchuk»: Kyrylo Kucher; Hlіb Varava – Denys Matusevуch, Hlіb Krуvoshapkin – Vitalіy Lyalka (c) – Borys Andryushchenko; Dmytro Ignatenko – Mykyta Kruglyakov, Svyatoslav Tуmchenko – Vladyslav Braga – Bohdan Serednytskyi; Maksym Maksуmenko – Philip Matviіenko, Artem Tselohorodtsev – Danylo Kryvenko – Tymofiy Savytskyi; Bohdan Pankov – Danylo Babchuk, Vyacheslav Andrushchenko – Ilia Fedorov – Mykhailo Gevorkyan
Head coach: Dmytro Sumets
«Kyiv Capitals»: Boris Babik; Pavlo Taran (c) – Valentуn Sirchenko, Vladyslav Kutsevуch – Serhiy Chernenko – Yaroslav Panchenko; Kostyantyn Ryabenko – Eetu Moksunen, Andriy Krуvonozhkin – Yevhen Sekirko – Mykyta Oliynyk; Tymur Lapko – Denys Khonin, Oleksandr Koyda – Mykola Dvornyk – Danylo Tyshchenko; Anton Sychynskyi – Oleksandr Dreval – Oleksandr Valkun – Denуs Plesovskуkh
Head coach: Vadym Shakhraichuk
This match had the status of decisive for each of the teams, because in it was decided the fate of the second ticket to the final, where the winner of group A – «Sokil» was already waiting for its opponent.
The hosts of the ice managed to stun their opponents with a fast puck. Matusevych cut through the «Capitals’» defense with an accurate pass to Llyalka, and the captain of Kremenchuk masterfully implemented the exit face-to-face with Babik.
Towards the middle of the first period, the representatives of Poltava Region doubled their handicap. Moreover, it happened while Maksymenko was on the bench for penalties, and «Kremenchuk» was in the minority. Kyivans made a series of blows on Kucher’s possessions, but Kyrylo worked reliably. Instead, the «Kremenchuk» players managed to run out in a quick counterattack. Sеrednytskyi found a free Tуmchenko on the heel, who doubled his team’s advantage.
Nevertheless, Vadym Shakhraichuk’s wards managed to recover before the first break. Krуvonozhkin successfully focused on finishing and upset Kucher for the first time in this meeting.
The second and third periods ended in the same way with a minimal advantage of one of the teams. Unfortunately for «Kyiv Capitals» fans, it became Kremenchuk.
In the second period, Serednytskyi was active again, winning a throw-in in the «Сapital’s» zone and redirecting the puck to Braga. The latter doubled the home team’s lead with a close-range shot.
Instead, the Kyivans missed the fourth time again during the game in the majority. Serednytskyi, who has already been mentioned several times, added a dropped puck to his two assists after breaking through the central zone.
Thus, «Kyiv Capitals» recorded the first confrontation with the vice-champion of the country in the treasury of experience, but ended with a defeat. Instead, tomorrow in the decisive match of the tournament, we will see a repeat of the final series of the previous championship.
