The Hockey Club “Donbass” won the first match of the Super Final Draw of the Continental Cup, beating the current holder of the trophy – Minsk “Younost”.
“Donbass” Ukraine - “Yunost” (Belarus) – 2:1 (0:0, 2:0, 0:1)
“Donbass ": Tsaregorodtsev. Lyutkevich - Malevich, Piskunov - Zhurun - Belukhin, Dubrovin - Dydykin, Kochetkov - Varlamov - Hult, Esipov - Eghine, Vasiliyev - Tatarinov - Gladskih, Seleznev – Pobedonostsev, Shafarenko - Materuhin - Donica.
"Yunost": Oksa (until 59:46). Sheleg - Karev, Tsurikov - Voroshilov - Mikhailov, Yakimovich - Usenko, Timchenko - Berzin - Slysh, Syrey - Bashko, Abakunchik - Zakharov - Turkin Parahonko - Klochko, Zadelenov - Khafizov - Kurilin.
Goals: 1-0. Belukhin (Zhurun, 23:41), 2-0. Zhurun (Malevich, Belukhin, 32:51 - big.) 2:1. Slysh (Berzinsh, Usenko, 45:33).
Leaving aside the merits and titles, the teams started with unbelievable speed, and only once, after an icing, the referee gave the teams a timeout. The first half of the period showed a tangible advantage for "Donbass". At the end of the first ten minutes of the period Vitaly Donica earned two penalty minutes, which Oleksandr Kulikov had collected, not allowing their opponents to inflict a single "shot" with more or less destructive position. The best chance of scoring for Donetsk was in the final minute of the period when Alexander Zhurun was unable to beat the goalkeeper in a full-time duel.
Donetsk was playing at high speed in the second period; whilst the players of Minsk couldn’t keep up with the speed of their opponents. The superiority of the Hockey Club “Donbass” showed in the fourth minute of the period. Zhurun led the breakthrough to Belukhin who shielded the puck from his opponent by using his body and with a backhand shot hit the puck into the right corner from the goalkeeper. Towards the 30th minute of the game Syrey received a double small penalty for a marked injury to Vasiliyev, however, Donetsk couldn’t benefit from their temporary advantage in the game. But following removal of Konstantin Zakharov for Minsk, Belukhin and Malevich played a combination on the blue line and Zhurun scored the goal, having been standing alone in front of their opponent’s goal.
Feeling the closeness of defeat, Belarusians stared the third period well and they were able to reduce the deficit. Slysh assisted by others, won the crease in front of the “Donbass” gates and they returned intrigue to the game. Minsk finished the game powerfully and made the black and red players of Donbass very nervous, but they were unable to affect the final score.
Press-service of HC “Donbass”