25 August 2023

Blinov Cup. Barys - Neftekhimik 3:1

In the final game at the Blinov Cup, Barys confidently outplayed Neftekhimik.

Coaching staff left defenceman Alex Grant, as well as forwards Kirill Savitski and Pontus Åberg outside the squad for the game. Andrei Shutov took the gates right from the start. It is also worth noting the debut of young defenceman Kirill Nikitin in Barys.

Roman Starchenko opened the scoring just before the first break. Barys' captain made an accurate shot from the entrance to the zone. Astana spent most of the second period in the shorthanded after five-minute suspensions for Joseph LaBate and David Sklenička. Neftekhimik was unable to take advantage of the situation. Instead, Starchenko ran into the breakaway and netted a double in one of the rare episodes of equal strength play.

In the middle of the final third, Barys' captain completed a hat-trick, realising the power play. Nizhnekamsk responded with a goal from Ilya Khokhlov, scoring on a short-handed breakaway and still unsealing Andrei Shutov, having a great game. Astana's puckstopper deflected 31 shots on net. Final siren recorded the third consecutive victory of Andrey Skabelka's wards at the tournament.

Edward Pasquale was named the best goalie of the Blinov Cup.

Now Barys returns to Astana, where the final stage of the team's preparation for the new KHL season will takes its place. Starting meeting of Kazakhstan in the regular season will be at Barys-Arena. On 2 September, our team will meet Salavat Yulayev.

Barys - Neftekhimik 3:1 (1:0, 1:0, 1:1)

1:0 - 16:47 - Starchenko

2:0 – 33:43 – Starchenko (Polokhov)

3:0 – 51:32 – Starchenko (Shestakov, Sklenička) PPG

3:1 – 52:45 – Khokhlov SHG

Puckstoppers: Shutov - Tikhomirov

G-Drive Arena. 354 viewers