Almaz vs Din. St. Petersburg

Din. St. Petersburg came from a goal down to beat Almaz 3-2 in the fourth match day of the Governors Cup of Tula Oblast, with Oleg Chipsanov scoring once and setting up another in a three-goal second-period blitz that proved decisive. The win gave Dinamo their second victory of the pre-season tournament after they had lost to Tayfun 24 hours earlier.

Almaz struck first through Vladislav Khomitsky at 15:27 of the opening period, with assists from Semyon Speshinsky and Lev Volzhenkov, and held the lead through the first intermission.

The second period turned the match on its head inside four frantic minutes. Arseny Medunitsin equalised at 23:04 off feeds from Vladimir Bakhtov and Ilya Dolgopolov. Kirill Groshev put Dinamo ahead at 23:33, with Oleg Chipsanov and Shamil Gimbatov providing the assists. Chipsanov then scored himself at 27:10 — again assisted by Gimbatov — to make it 3-1.

Ivan Okunev pulled one back for Almaz at 36:45 (assists: Timofey Perminov, Semyon Speshinsky), but the home side could not find an equaliser in a scoreless third period despite outshooting Dinamo 12-4 in the final frame.

Dinamo's three-goal burst between 23:04 and 27:10 of the second period. Almaz had controlled the first period and led 1-0, but a 43-second spell saw Medunitsin and Groshev score 29 seconds apart to flip the match entirely. When Chipsanov added a third inside four minutes, Almaz faced a two-goal deficit they could not fully recover from.

Oleg Chipsanov (Din. St. Petersburg) — A goal and an assist in the decisive second-period spell. Chipsanov set up Groshev's go-ahead goal at 23:33 and scored himself at 27:10. He also went to the penalty box late in the third period, taking a minor at 59:49.

Shamil Gimbatov (Din. St. Petersburg) — Two primary assists on the Groshev and Chipsanov goals, instrumental in both of Dinamo's quick-fire strikes that turned the game.

Ivan Okunev (Almaz) — Scored Almaz's second goal at 36:45 to halve the deficit, giving his side hope heading into the third period. Also took a minor penalty for slashing at 32:21.

Player of the Match: Oleg Chipsanov (Din. St. Petersburg)

Final shots on goal were almost dead even (34-35), but the story lies in the periods. Almaz outshot Dinamo 12-4 in the third period (23-11 in total shot attempts) yet could not score — a testament to Kirill Molchanov's composure in net and some desperate defending. Dinamo converted their chances in the second period: three goals from 15 shots on goal (20% shooting), while Almaz needed 34 shots to get two. Faceoffs were lopsided in Almaz's favour (33-24), but Dinamo's superior puck management showed in takeaways (19-9) and fewer giveaways (9-13). Dinamo were also far more physical (6 hits to 1), a significant edge in a junior-level pre-season game.

For Din. St. Petersburg, this was a vital response after their 3-1 loss to Tayfun on 21 August. They now hold two wins from four games at the Governors Cup (also beat AKM-Yunior 2-1 on 19 August) and will look to finish the tournament strongly. Almaz, who hammered AKM-Yunior 5-1 on 21 August but lost heavily to Tayfun 3-6 on 20 August, remain inconsistent in pre-season. Both teams are preparing for the 2026/27 OLIMPBET MHL season, which begins in September. Din. St. Petersburg competes in the Gold Division of the Western Conference; Almaz plays in the Silver Division.

The tournament concludes on 23 August with final placement matches.

A game of two periods: Almaz dominated the first and outworked Dinamo in the third, but the middle frame belonged entirely to St. Petersburg. Dinamo's ruthlessness in a four-minute window decided the contest, and Molchanov's steady goaltending when the pressure mounted late preserved the win. For a pre-season friendly, the intensity and pace were encouraging signs from both sides ahead of the MHL regular season.