Slavutych vs Kaluga

Erkin's equaliser with around two minutes left in the second period. Slavutych had been chasing the game since the 16th minute, and a goal at 3-3 heading into the locker room completely shifted the psychological balance. The home side outscored Kaluga 2-0 in the third period, while the visitors managed only one shot on goal in the final 10 minutes.

• Denis Erkin (Slavutych) — scored the crucial 3-3 equaliser that swung momentum. Named player of the match by the club's coverage.
• Ivan Sushinsky (Slavutych) — one goal and one assist in the comeback; his goal trimmed the deficit to 2-3 and kept the pressure on Kaluga.
• Alexei Mitrofanov (Kaluga) — a goal and an assist in the first period, though his influence faded as Slavutych took over.
• Maxim Polkin (Slavutych) — opened the scoring on the power play and set the tone for a special teams battle.

Period scores tell the story. Kaluga won the first period 2-1 and appeared the sharper side early, but the middle frame swung decisively Slavutych's way (2-1) to level the game. The third period was all one-way traffic — Slavutych outscored Kaluga 2-0 to take full control. The match featured two power-play goals (Polkin for Slavutych, Almazov for Kaluga), reflecting disciplined special teams on both sides, but Slavutych's depth and conditioning — forged through active participation in the ongoing Salei Cup — proved decisive against a Kaluga side still building chemistry ahead of their VHL debut.

The friendly was a mid-preseason checkpoint for both clubs. Slavutych — silver medallists in the Belarusian Extraliga last season — are in the middle of the Salei Cup campaign and have now won four of their last five pre-season outings. Kaluga, who will debut in the VHL (Russia's second tier) in the 2026/27 season, suffered their third loss in five summer friendlies but showed flashes of quality through Mitrofanov and veteran forward Maxim Kitsyn. Slavutych return to Salei Cup action against Metallurg Zhlobin on 18 August. Kaluga's next pre-season fixture has not yet been confirmed.

A game of two stories: Kaluga's sharp but unsustainable start against Slavutych's superior fitness and depth. The Belarusian side's ability to absorb pressure and respond — particularly after a disallowed goal — speaks to the resilience that carried them to a domestic final in 2025/26. Kaluga will take encouragement from 30 strong minutes but have work to do before their historic VHL campaign begins.