Sochi 1–2 Neftekhimik 11/3/2026
03.11.2026
Neftekhimik got a win over Sochi 2–1.
The opening ten minutes went back and forth, and dangerous chances were few at both Yaroslav Ozolin’s net and the Sochi goal. One notable moment came when Ivan Nikolishin beat two opponents and set up Andrei Belozyorov for a shot, but a Sochi defenseman got in the way. Another sequence was almost bizarre: Neftekhimik nearly scored an own goal.The pace picked up in the second half of the period. Sochi even put the puck in the net, but an official standing just a few feet away immediately signaled “no goal” – the puck had been kicked in. Before the intermission, our team had to defend shorthanded, but it handled the opponent’s attacks effectively.
Neftekhimik pushed the puck into the offensive zone right from the first seconds of the second period and began to apply pressure, firing several shots on goal. One of them a shot from the blue line by Timur Kol found the net. The goal was first credited to Kol, but the officials quickly corrected the call and awarded it to Matvei Zaseda, who had deflected the puck on its way in. Neftekhimik took a 1–0 lead.
The home team had a clear edge in the third period, and the period’s stats reflected it. Yaroslav Ozolin was kept busy and repeatedly rescued Neftekhimik in difficult situations.
Sochi answered midway through the period with our team shorthanded. Nikita Gusev sent a perfect pass to a teammate, but our defensemen blocked the shot. On his second try, Gusev faked a pass and fired an unexpected shot; Artur Gizdatullin deflected it into the net from the slot. 1–1. The goal injected new energy into Sochi, and each of their attacks grew more dangerous. Our team, however, stayed sharp on the counterattack.
Late in the period, the hosts went short-handed, and Neftekhimik needed just 14 seconds to capitalize on the power play: Artur Tyanulin passed from behind the net, and Yevgeny Mityakin poked the puck past the goaltender. 2–1!
Upcoming game:
DATE OPPONENT TIME
11/5/2026 vs Metallurg Mg ⏰5:00 pm
