Dinamo-Shinnik vs Din. St. Petersburg

Dinamo-Shinnik struck first at 7:27 of the opening period. Captain Ilya Sansevich finished off a setup from Kirill Sevko and Nikita Pavlov to make it 1-0. The Belarusian side controlled the early exchanges but could not extend the lead.

Din. St. Petersburg levelled at 17:34 through Dmitry Miftakhov, who converted on the power play with helpers from Artur Medunitsin and Kirill Groshev. The visitors generated several quality looks with the man advantage and headed into the first intermission tied at 1-1.

The decisive moment arrived at 3:44 of the second period. Melnichenok found the back of the net, again assisted by Pavlov, to put Dinamo-Shinnik ahead 2-1. That scoreline held through the remainder of the second and all of the third period, as both goaltenders tightened up and scoring chances dried up.

As is common in MHL pre-season friendlies, the teams played an additional overtime period and shootout for extra ice time. Din. St. Petersburg's Groshev scored in OT, and Dinamo-Shinnik won the shootout 2-0, but the regulation result stood as the official line.

Melnichenok's goal at 23:44 was the game's only unanswered strike. After conceding the equaliser late in the first, Dinamo-Shinnik's response just 3:44 into the middle frame prevented the visitors from building on their momentum. Pavlov's second primary assist of the match — he set up both Sansevich and Melnichenok — was central to the home side's attacking output.

Nikita Pavlov (Dinamo-Shinnik) — The forward recorded two primary assists, setting up both Dinamo-Shinnik goals. His vision on the Melnichenok strike was the creative spark that decided the game.

Ilya Sansevich (Dinamo-Shinnik) — The captain opened the scoring with a sharp finish at 7:27 and anchored the blue line throughout.

Dmitry Miftakhov (Din. St. Petersburg) — Scored the visitors' lone goal on the power play, showing good finishing instincts from the slot.

Goaltenders — Both Rusakovich (Dinamo-Shinnik) and Polukeyev (Din. St. Petersburg) settled well after the first period, combining for a scoreless third period that kept the game tight.

The 2-1 scoreline is a sharp departure from this fixture's high-scoring history. Across 22 previous meetings dating back to 2013, the sides had averaged 5.91 goals per game, with over 2.5 goals landing in 95% of encounters. This was the first time in their rivalry that a match finished under 2.5 total goals — a reflection of early pre-season timing and both teams shaking off off-season rust. Din. St. Petersburg still lead the all-time series 14-8, but Dinamo-Shinnik earned a confidence-building result in their first competitive run-out of the summer.

This was the first pre-season friendly for both sides as they prepare for the 2026/27 MHL season. Dinamo-Shinnik, based in Bobruisk, compete in the Gold Division of the Western Conference alongside Din. St. Petersburg. The result is a positive early marker for the Belarusian side, who have the rest of July and August to fine-tune their line combinations. Din. St. Petersburg will look to bounce back in their next pre-season fixture.

A typically scrappy pre-season opener decided by a single second-period goal. Dinamo-Shinnik's response after conceding the equaliser showed resilience, while Pavlov's two-assist performance suggested he could be a key creative force in the season ahead. Both sides will take the lessons and move on.