Kazakhstan Cup· Season 2026
Karaganda beat Gornyak Rudny 6-3 in the Kazakhstan Cup on 16 August. Saryarka built a 4-0 lead before holding off a third-period rally to go top of Group A with four points.
Match Videos
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow It Unfolded
Karaganda dominated from the opening face-off. Yevgeniy Korolinsky opened the scoring at 5:28, finishing a feed from Igor Ponomaryov and Yaroslav Khripkov. Yegor Smolyaninov doubled the lead at 14:42 with help from Dmitry Presnov and Ruslan Dyomin. Karaganda outshot Gornyak 13-9 in the first period and won 10 of 14 face-offs.
The second period followed the same script. Vladislav Nikulin made it 3-0 at 24:13, converting from Alexander Borisevich and Edgars Siksna. Dmitry Presnov added the fourth at 36:32, with Smolyaninov and Yegor Namestnikov assisting. Karaganda outshot Gornyak 13-5 in the middle frame and built a 26-14 shot advantage through two periods.
Gornyak found life early in the third. Timur Shingareev scored on the power play at 40:55, just seven seconds after Vladimir Volkov's roughing penalty expired, to make it 4-1. But Karaganda responded quickly: Igor Ponomaryov restored the four-goal cushion at 48:31, and Danila Karaban made it 6-1 at 49:45.
Valery Gurin pulled one back for Gornyak at 54:18, and Dmitry Parkhomenko added a third at 55:27, but Karaganda held firm to close out the 6-3 win.
The Turning Point
Gornyak's power-play goal at 40:55 — their first shot of the third period — briefly threatened a comeback, cutting the deficit to 4-1 with 19 minutes remaining. But Karaganda's response was instant. Igor Ponomaryov's goal at 48:31, just eight minutes later, killed any momentum Gornyak had built and rebuilt the four-goal buffer.
Key Performers
- Yegor Smolyaninov (Karaganda): One goal and two assists. Involved in three of Karaganda's six goals, including the crucial second-period strike that doubled the lead.
- Dmitry Presnov (Karaganda): One goal and two assists. The forward was a constant threat, finishing the game with a personal three-point night.
- Igor Ponomaryov (Karaganda): One goal and one assist from the blue line. His third-period strike was the dagger that ended Gornyak's revival hopes.
- Danil Kadochnikov (Karaganda): The starting goaltender made 29 saves on 32 shots, withstanding a 18-9 shot barrage in the third period.
Player of the match: Yegor Smolyaninov — a goal and two assists in a dominant all-round display.
By the Numbers — Interpreted
The final shot count (35-32 Karaganda) flatters Gornyak. Karaganda led 26-14 through two periods and 13-5 in the second alone. Gornyak's 18 third-period shots came only after the game was effectively decided at 4-0 and then 6-1. Karaganda dominated the face-off circle 33-25 (57%), a gap that reflected their territorial control through the first 40 minutes. Both teams finished with 9 penalty minutes. Gornyak's lone power-play goal from Shingareev was their only success with the man advantage.
What It Means
Karaganda top Group A with 4 points from two matches, following their opening 4-2 win over Irtysh Pavlodar on 14 August. Gornyak remain on 2 points after a 2-1 win over Kulager on matchday one. Karaganda next face Beibarys on 18 August, while Gornyak take on Irtysh on 17 August.
Verdict
Karaganda's first-period intensity set the tone and Gornyak never truly recovered. The 6-3 scoreline understates Karaganda's dominance through 40 minutes. If they maintain this level, they are clear group favourites.
Match Events
Key match events between Karaganda and Gornyak Rudny — 9 goals and 0 cards recorded during the match.
Y. Khripkov
R. Dyomin
E. Siksna
Y. Namestnikov
A. Kurshuk
D. Presnov
A. Likhotnikov
A. Kurshuk
Rivalry since 2020
Karaganda vs Gornyak Rudny Head to Head Results· 36
Karaganda and Gornyak Rudny have met 36 times — Karaganda won 29, Gornyak Rudny won 7, with 0 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2020. Karaganda leads the head-to-head with 29 victories from 36 meetings. A combined 199 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 5.53 per match (135 for the home side, 64 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 30 matches (83%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 35 games (97%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. The highest-scoring encounter finished 3–6 in 2023.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 22 Aug 2026