Metallurg Cherepovets vs Loko-76

The game swung decisively in the second period. After a competitive first frame that ended 1-1, Loko-76 scored twice in the opening 17 minutes of the middle period to take a 3-1 lead. Metallurg, who had started with energy and an early goal, offered little resistance thereafter. The hosts failed to register a single shot on goal that altered the scoreline after Mazhitov's opener, while Loko-76's forwards found space between the defence with increasing ease.

Yaroslav Rukhlyadev (Loko-76) — The standout performer. The forward scored one goal and added two assists, directly involved in three of Loko-76's six goals. His pass to set up Berezkin's equaliser steadied the visitors after the early setback.

Vladimir Utkin (Loko-76) — A brace for Utkin, who scored the go-ahead goal early in the second period and added another in the third. His movement between the circles caused Metallurg's defence persistent problems.

Dmitry Raznov (Loko-76) — One goal and one assist, with his goal at 11:44 of the third period effectively sealing the result.

Mikhail Bulgakov (Loko-76) — A goal and an assist from the blueline, contributing at both ends of the ice.

Nazar Mazhitov (Metallurg Cherepovets) — The lone bright spot for the hosts, scoring the opening goal inside three minutes. He was largely isolated after the first period.

The period-by-period scoring — 1-1, 0-2, 0-3 — tells the story of a game that slipped away from Metallurg completely after the first intermission. The home side's early goal was not a sign of dominance but a fleeting moment: Loko-76 controlled the territorial battle from the midpoint of the first period onward. They outscored Metallurg 5-0 across the final 44 minutes of play. The 6-1 final scoreline is Loko-76's largest win in three head-to-head meetings since 2020, surpassing a 5-2 victory in 2022.

The match was part of the pre-season Tournament named after cosmonaut P. I. Belyaev. Atlant (Red Machine) had already secured the tournament title before this game began, meaning Loko-76's win moved them level on points but not enough to challenge for top spot. For Metallurg, the defeat continued a difficult pre-season: they conceded six goals for the third time in four friendlies, having lost 1-6 to Atlant on 31 July and 2-6 to Sakhalinskie Akuly on 30 July.

Loko-76 next faced Sakhalinskie Akuly on 3 August 2026, while Metallurg played Almaz on the same day.

A one-sided pre-season friendly that exposed a significant gap between these two MHL sides. Loko-76's quality in the final third was decisive once they found their rhythm, while Metallurg's porous defence — having conceded 18 goals in four pre-season games — remains a serious concern ahead of the NMHL campaign.