Reaktor vs Chaika

The skills competition extended seven rounds. After misses from Reaktor’s N. Mansvetov and Chaika’s Fogelnester, Panov converted to open the scoring. Zhurun replied for Chaika, followed by a successful attempt from Yaroslav Burov that put Chaika ahead in the shootout. Berezin responded for Reaktor, and when Laptev missed for Chaika, Chertkov stepped up and scored the decisive goal to seal a 3-2 shootout win (4-3 on the scoreboard).

Reaktor’s three-goal burst across 1 minute 55 seconds in the second period turned a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead. Chaika had controlled the game up to that moment, but Reaktor’s sudden offensive surge exposed the visitors’ defensive structure and shifted the momentum decisively. Chaika’s equaliser in the third period showed resilience, but Reaktor’s second-period explosion was the match-defining passage.

Alexander Panov (Reaktor) — Scored the go-ahead goal at 3-2 and converted his shootout attempt. His second-period intervention was the catalyst for Reaktor’s surge.

Vladislav Chertkov (Reaktor) — Assisted on Berezin’s goal and scored the clinching shootout attempt. His composure under pressure decided the extra point.

Alexander Kolymaev (Reaktor) — Made 38 saves and held firm in the shootout, allowing only two of Chaika’s attempts to beat him.

Dobrynya Suchkov (Chaika) — The 16-year-old goaltender started for Chaika in an experimental lineup, per NIA Nizhny Novgorod, and impressed despite the loss.

Player of the Match: Alexander Panov (Reaktor)

The TNA Cup opener featured the full range of pre-season hockey: a controlled start, a sudden momentum swing, a late equaliser, a scoreless overtime, and a seven-round shootout. Reaktor’s second-period explosion — three goals in under two minutes — was the statistical outlier that decided the outcome. Chaika’s power-play conversion through Sinikin showed their special teams are already sharp. The shootout’s length reflected the parity between two well-matched MHL sides.

The TNA Cup, a six-team pre-season tournament at Tatneft Arena, runs from 14–19 August. Reaktor opened with a win that builds on their perfect pre-season record (four wins from four before this match, per MHL KHL). Chaika, fielding a rotated squad, take a point from the shootout loss.

Chaika face SКА-1946 on 15 August. Reaktor continue their TNA Cup campaign with further group-stage fixtures in the coming days. Both sides are using the tournament as preparation for the 2026/27 MHL regular season.

Reaktor’s two-minute explosion in the second period decided the game’s momentum, but Chaika’s fightback to force overtime showed real character from an experimental lineup. The shootout — tight, tense, and stretching to the seventh round — was a fitting end to a well-contested pre-season opener. Reaktor’s superior composure from the spot made the difference.