Metallurg Cherepovets vs Red Mashine Atlant

Red Mashine Atlant controlled the game from the opening face-off. After surviving two early Metallurg power plays, the visitors struck first at 13:24 when Pavel Danilkin scored on the power play, the goal surviving a video review for puck crossing the line. Assists went to Roman Maksimov and Grigory Bolbat. Just 94 seconds later, Vladislav Drozdov doubled the lead at even strength off a feed from Bolbat, making it 0-2 after the first period.

The second period was a demolition. Arkady Loginov raced onto a loose puck while shorthanded at 22:47 and beat goaltender Ivan Paltsev on a clean breakaway to make it 0-3 — the MHL match report noted that the outcome was "almost beyond doubt" after this goal. Fedor Kuzmin added a power-play goal at 27:09 from Zakhar Galako's feed, and Erik Serbin scored just 69 seconds later at even strength to make it 0-5 inside the opening eight minutes of the period.

Egor Zubkov stretched the lead to 6-0 at 45:10 of the third period on a close-range finish from Daniil Kuzmin and Daniil Kruglikov, before Yaroslav Sharapov got Metallurg on the board at 56:14 — a consolation goal assisted by Zakhar Mudrov. An optional five-minute overtime and a shootout session followed, with Red Mashine winning both, though the result was already settled.

Loginov's shorthanded breakaway at 22:47 was the decisive moment. Metallurg had started the second period on the power play after Roberts Ginters' interference penalty, but instead of cutting the deficit to one, they conceded a shorthanded goal that made it 0-3. Red Mashine scored three more goals in the next 5:31 to turn a contest into a complete rout.

• Arkady Loginov (Red Mashine Atlant) — Player of the match. The shorthanded breakaway immediately after a failed Metallurg power play was the defining moment that broke the home side's resistance.
• Pavel Danilkin (Red Mashine Atlant) — Opened the scoring with a power-play goal at 13:24 and drove the forecheck throughout.
• Egor Zubkov (Red Mashine Atlant) — One goal (45:10) and one assist on Serbin's strike, finishing +3 alongside defensive partner Daniil Kruglikov.
• Mikhail Ivanov (Red Mashine Atlant) — Conceded only the 56th-minute consolation on limited action behind a dominant defensive performance.

The 6-1 scoreline reflected a complete mismatch. Red Mashine scored in every phase — power play (Danilkin, Kuzmin), shorthanded (Loginov), and even strength (Drozdov, Serbin, Zubkov). Metallurg, playing their third consecutive tournament defeat, managed just one late consolation across 60 minutes. Goaltender Ivan Paltsev faced relentless pressure, conceding six goals.

Discipline was a concern for Metallurg: four minor penalties (Mazhitov, Titov, Agarkov, Paltsev — the latter a delay-of-game on the goaltender). Red Mashine took two minors. Metallurg failed to convert on either power-play opportunity and conceded a shorthanded goal on one of them.

Red Mashine Atlant — who rebranded during the off-season — continued an encouraging pre-season after a 5-2 win over Akademiya Mikhailova. They face Loko-76 on 1 August, then Sakhalinskie Akuly on 2 August to close out the Belyaev Tournament.

Metallurg Cherepovets are winless in three Belyaev contests (1-5 vs Kapitan, 2-3 vs Loko-76, 1-6 vs Red Mashine) and next play Loko-76 on 2 August before a final group match against Almaz on 3 August. The regular MHL season begins later in the autumn.

A brutally efficient performance from Red Mashine Atlant, sharper in every zone and ruthless in punishing Metallurg's defensive lapses. Loginov's shorthanded goal was the kind of momentum-killing play that separates well-drilled sides from those still finding their feet in pre-season. Metallurg have significant work to do before the regular campaign.