During the championship, Vadym Shakhraichuk’s team missed two pucks from Sokil for the fourth time. However, they managed to score only one in return.
Kyiv Capitals (Кyiv) – Sokil (Kyiv) – 1:2 (1:1, 0:0, 0:1)
Pucks: 0:1 – Zherebko (Zakharov, Yanishevskyi), 00:42; 1:1 – Berdniks (Chernenko, Dvornyk, double majority), 10:45; 1:2 – Zherebko (Tolstushko), 49:43
Kyiv Capitals: Boris Babik; Kostiantyn Riabenko – 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
Sokil: Bohdan Diachenko; Vsevolod Tolstushko – Oleksandr Filimonov, Serhii Babynets – Vadym Mazur (c) – Volodymyr Cherdak; Volodymyr Aleksiuk – Oleksii Yanishevskyi, Viktor Zakharov – Denys Borodai – Maksym Zherebko; Mykyta Polonytskyi – Oleksandr Horlushko, Illia Sobchenko – Artem Bondarev – Maksym Razumov; Denys Haiduk, Yevhenii Govorushko – Vasyl-Yurii Kachan – Ihor Sliusar
Head coach: Oleg Shafarenko
Capitals entered the meeting as the current leaders of the championship in terms of lost points. Furthermore, the hosts of today’s game had previously defeated their opponents in their last face-to-face encounter, following two losses in the shootout. Both teams had a lot to prove on the ice.
The events on the ice unfolded rapidly, with the visitors taking the lead just 42 seconds into the game. Zakharov made a pass, and Zherebko seized the opportunity to score, handing possession to Babik.
Midway through the period, Vadym Shakhraichuk’s team had an excellent opportunity to equalize the score, benefiting from a two-man advantage after the penalties for Tolstushko and Borodai. The home team capitalized on this chance during their second attack. Chernenko assisted Berdniks (hero of previous match against Sokil), who once again found the back of the net against Dyachenko with a long-range shot.
Although the Capitals had the upper hand towards the end of the period, creating numerous scoring opportunities in the opponents’ zone, they were unable to turn the tide in their favor before the first break.
During next twenty minutes, Oleg Shafarenko’s team had a golden opportunity to score with a 5×3 play. Koida, Kutsevych, Bezuhlyi, and Berdniks all received penalties consecutively, giving the Sokil 47 seconds with a two-player advantage. However, despite this advantage, nominal guests failed to capitalize on the power play.
During the period Sokil appeared to convert a majority into a goal-scoring opportunity, as Aleksiuk dropped the puck into the net. Unfortunately for the Oleg Shafarenko`s team, the goal was disallowed due to Borodai’s high stick play.
Following the disallowed goal, Capitals seized the opportunity and went on a 5×4 play for almost 3,5 minutes. But the string of penalties did not end there, as Kryvonozhkin and Babynets each received two-minute penalties, resulting in a 4×3 play for both teams.
Despite all these penalties, the score remained unchanged. The period was filled with action and excitement, but neither team managed to find the back of the net.
The game took a dramatic turn in the middle of the final period when Sokil took the lead for the second time. Tolstushko made a precise pass to Zherebko, who took advantage of Riabenko’s loss of balance and skillfully scored a double as he went face-to-face with Babik, the opposing goalkeeper. This goal gave Sokil the lead once again, shifting the momentum of the game.
In the second half of the period, Vadym Shakhraichuk’s team exerted heavy pressure on their opponents’ goal, creating many scoring opportunities. However, their efforts were thwarted by a stellar performance from Diachenko, who conceded less than two goals for the first time in the derby against Capitals. As a result, Oleg Shafarenko’s team secured three points for the first time this season against Kyiv Capitals, propelling them to the top of the tournament table with 42 points. On the other hand, Vadym Shakhraichuk’s team remained in third place with 38 points.
Our team’s next match is scheduled for January 11th against Kremenchuk. Additionally, Sokil will face off against Dnipro a day earlier.
