Toros Neftekamsk vs Bars

The first period was scoreless despite Toros controlling large stretches. Goaltender Vyacheslav Peksa (Bars) denied Oleg Sedantsov from close range during an early power play, and Nikita Bogdanov (Toros) kept his sheet clean at the other end when Bars pushed back late in the frame.

The deadlock broke at 21:15 of the second period. Timur Valeev carried the puck into the Bars zone and beat Peksa with assists from Mikhail Tsaregorodtsev and Nikita Zhikharev. Toros doubled their lead at 38:04 on the power play: Volokitin wired a shot from the slot past Peksa after Alexander Cherny was tripped by Yelisei Andreev.

The third period belonged entirely to Volokitin. Shorthanded at 45:00, he burst free on a breakaway and rifled the puck past Peksa for a 3-0 lead. Moments later, while killing another Bars man advantage, Volokitin was hauled down driving the net — but the resulting penalty call preceded his hat-trick goal to make it 4-0.

Toros added two more before Bars pulled one back through Ildar Shiksatdarov, who scored the visitors' only goal late in the third period. The final was 6-1.

Volokitin's shorthanded goal at 45:00, early in the third period. Toros had just taken two consecutive minor penalties, putting their 2-0 lead under serious threat. Instead of folding, Volokitin's breakaway strike — a shorthanded dagger — swung all momentum decisively and led to a four-goal third period for the green-and-whites.

Pavel Volokitin (Toros Neftekamsk) — Player of the Match. A natural hat-trick featuring a power-play goal at 38:04, a shorthanded breakaway at 45:00 and a third at even strength. Volokitin was clinical in all three phases of the game.

Timur Valeev (Toros Neftekamsk) — Scored the opener at 21:15 to break a stubborn first-period deadlock, setting the tone for the rout.

Nikita Bogdanov (Toros Neftekamsk) — Solid in net through a scoreless first period and composed under pressure when Bars pushed back late in the second.

Vyacheslav Peksa (Bars) — Faced heavy pressure, particularly in the first period when he denied Sedantsov and Petrenko from close range. Not at fault for the scoreline given the defensive breakdowns in front of him.

Toros outshot and out-chanced Bars across all three periods, but the 2-0 second-period cushion was their reward for persistence after a scoreless first. The 4-1 third period reflects how completely the game broke open after Volokitin's shorthanded strike — Bars committed forward, leaving gaps that Toros exploited ruthlessly. Both teams' special teams were a decisive factor: Toros scored on the power play and shorthanded, while Bars failed to convert any of their man advantages.

The H2H widget on this page shows Toros have won 22 of 28 meetings since 2014, reinforcing their historical dominance in this VHL rivalry (Bars are the Ak Bars Kazan affiliate; Toros are the Salavat Yulaev Ufa affiliate).

Toros opened their Almet Oilers Cup campaign with 2 points and a +5 goal difference. Bars fell to the bottom with 0 points. Toros faced Neftyanik Almetyevsk on 14 August, while Bars met CSK VVS. For Toros, it was a second consecutive preseason win after beating Izhstal Izhevsk 1-0 on 8 August, building momentum ahead of the 2026/27 VHL season.

A dominant statement from Toros Neftekamsk, who look sharp in preseason. Volokitin's hat-trick was the headline, but the team's discipline under pressure — scoring shorthanded while down two men — showed a squad with structure and composure. Bars have work to do on special teams and defensive organisation before the VHL season begins.