Bars Kazan vs Niznekamsk

Neftekhimik drew first blood at 4:42 of the opening period. With Ak Bars forward Alexander Khmelevsky serving a minor penalty, the visitors' first power-play unit worked the puck to Andrey Belozyorov for a point shot. The rebound sat loose in the crease and Evgeny Mityakin forced it past Alexander Stolpechenkov for the 1-0 lead.

Ak Bars controlled large stretches of the second period but could not beat Dolganov until the 40th minute. With 22 seconds left in the frame, Ak Bars defenceman Mitchell Miller — one of the most active players on the ice — fed Kirill Semyonov in the slot, and the forward fired home the equaliser at 39:44.

The tie lasted just 2:30. At 42:14 of the third period, Neftekhimik's fourth line broke out in transition. Pyotr Khokhryakov slipped the puck to Andreichenko, whose pass found Bikmullin unattended on the back door. The trialist tapped in to make it 2-1.

Ak Bars poured forward in the closing stages, pulled Stolpechenkov for an extra attacker and earned a late power play with six skaters against four. Artyom Galimov, Alexei Byvaltsev and Vladimir Alistrov all had looks, but Dolganov held firm to seal the win.

Neftekhimik's goal 2:14 into the third period — the quickest strike after a period break in the match — immediately punctured whatever momentum Ak Bars had carried from Semyonov's late second-period equaliser. Instead of building on the 1-1 platform, the hosts were chasing the game for the remaining 17:46 and never reclaimed control.

Rafael Bikmullin (Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk) — Only on a try-out contract, the forward produced the decisive moment with a textbook back-door finish. Player of the match.

Filipp Dolganov (Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk) — The Neftekhimik netminder was unbeatable in the third period, making crucial saves off Galimov, Byvaltsev and Alistrov during the 6-on-4 onslaught. The clean sheet in the final 20 minutes was the foundation of the win.

Kirill Semyonov (Ak Bars Kazan) — Scored Ak Bars' only goal at a critical moment just before the second intermission, giving the hosts a platform they ultimately could not build on.

Mitchell Miller (Ak Bars Kazan) — The American defenceman was the most creative player on either side, setting up the equaliser and generating several other chances. His offensive instincts stood out even in defeat.

The Betmana match page shows a single-goal margin across three periods that tells a straightforward story: Neftekhimik scored in the first, Ak Bars answered late in the second, and the visitors struck decisively early in the third. The 1-2 scoreline slightly flatters the margin — Ak Bars carried territorial play for long stretches of the second and third periods but could not convert sustained pressure into more than one goal. Dolganov's third-period saves were the statistical difference between a 2-1 win and a possible 2-2 or 3-2 outcome.

This was Ak Bars' second pre-season outing under head coach Anvar Gatiyatulin, following a 4-3 shootout win over VHL side Neftyanik. For Neftekhimik under Igor Grishin, this was the first game for the full KHL roster in pre-season (their earlier 4-1 win over Chelny featured only two-way and try-out players).

The KHL regular season for 2026/27 begins on 5 September. Ak Bars next face Dinamo Minsk in a friendly on 27 August, while Neftekhimik take on Lokomotiv Yaroslavl on 26 August.

A typical pre-season encounter — sharp in moments, ragged in others — decided by one clinical finish from a trialist and a goaltender's refusal to break. Neftekhimik's structure without the puck looked further along than Ak Bars' cohesion with it, which is notable given Gatiyatulin fielded his full complement of stars for the first time at home.