Tolpar vs Molot Perm

Tolpar controlled the opening period without creating a glut of chances, but made the breakthrough count when it arrived. Ilya Bazanov opened the scoring at 10:22, converting from close range after a feed from Alexander Ranert and Daniil Konovalov.

The home side doubled their lead early in the second period. Nikolai Makarov made it 2-0 at 25:56, and Tolpar appeared to be cruising. But Molot Perm responded inside four minutes. Stepan Bogdanov pulled one back at 29:10 off an assist from Dmitry Dubrovsky, and then on the power play at 38:47, Renat Sharafislamov levelled the scores at 2-2, with Bogdanov turning provider alongside Mikhail Kalashnik.

Tolpar regained the lead in the third period. Vladimir Sadovshchikov scored at 46:32, set up by Makarov and Yegor Meshcheryakov, making it 3-2. But Molot Perm refused to wilt. With just 23 seconds left in regulation, Kalashnik forced overtime at 59:37, finishing a scramble in front of the Tolpar net.

The extra session lasted barely a minute. Zayets stepped up from the blue line and fired home the winner at 61:02, giving Tolpar a 4-3 victory.

Molot Perm's equaliser with 23 seconds left in regulation — Kalashnik's deflection at 59:37 — felt like it had stolen the game for the visitors. They had trailed 2-0 and then 3-2, showing admirable resilience for a side in the middle of a coaching transition under new head coach Artyom Sursov. But the momentum swung back almost immediately: Tolpar won the opening face-off of overtime, worked the puck to Zayets at the point, and the defenceman's shot found its way through traffic before Molot's netminder could react. A 62-second overtime is as decisive as it gets in pre-season hockey.

Daniil Zayets (Tolpar) — The defenceman delivered the game-winner just 62 seconds into overtime, stepping up at the most critical moment. It was his only shot of the night, but it decided the match.

Nikolai Makarov (Tolpar) — A goal and an assist across the second and third periods. Makarov scored to make it 2-0 and then set up Sadovshchikov for the 3-2 goal, playing a central role in both of Tolpar's mid-game surges.

Stepan Bogdanov (Molot Perm) — One goal and one assist, including the primary setup on Sharafislamov's power-play equaliser. Bogdanov was the most effective player on the visitor's blue line and a constant threat on the man advantage.

Mikhail Kalashnik (Molot Perm) — Scored the dramatic 3-3 equaliser at 59:37 to force overtime, and also assisted on Sharafislamov's second-period goal. His late strike nearly turned the game on its head.

These sides have met 28 times since 2012, with Tolpar winning 23 (82%). The 4-3 scoreline fits a familiar pattern: both teams scored in 25 of those 28 meetings (89%), and every single one has gone over 2.5 goals. This fixture consistently produces goals, and Tuesday's contest did not break that trend.

Molot Perm's two comebacks — from 2-0 and 3-2 — suggest a team that already has some fitness base under Sursov, who took over after the club finished seventh in the Silver Division of the Eastern Conference last season. But Tolpar's ability to find a response in overtime, despite losing the lead twice, underscores the gap in quality: Tolpar had won 17 of the previous 20 meetings across all competitions coming into this match.

Tolpar's 4-1 win on 3 August and this 4-3 overtime victory give them a 2-0 lead in the three-game pre-season series, with the final match scheduled for 6 August.

This was a pre-season friendly with no standings implications, but it marked Tolpar's second consecutive win over Molot in as many days. For a Tolpar side that lost in the first round of the MHL play-offs last season, building momentum in pre-season is a small but meaningful step. For Molot Perm, who also appointed a new head coach this summer, the fightback is a positive sign even if the result was not.

Both teams are preparing for the 2026/27 MHL season, which is expected to begin in September 2026. Tolpar's next pre-season fixture is scheduled for 6 August — the third and final meeting against Molot Perm in this series.

A pre-season friendly that delivered genuine drama — Molot Perm's late equaliser looked like a statement, but Tolpar's overtime response showed the sharper edge. The 4-3 scoreline flattered neither side; it reflected the open, attacking hockey both teams want to play. For pre-season purposes, Tolpar's 2-0 series lead carries weight, but Molot's resilience under a new coach is the more interesting story heading into the 2026/27 campaign.