Karaganda vs Aktobe

A scoreless first period gave few hints of the goal rush to come. Karaganda broke the deadlock at 30:16 when defenceman Eriks Siksna fired home a power-play goal, with assists from Alexander Borisevich and Danil Karaban.

The floodgates opened in the final seven minutes of the second period. Alexander Borisevich doubled the lead at 33:45, finishing off a move involving Vyacheslav Nikulin and Vladislav Dyukarev. Then, with five seconds left in the period — 39:55 — Danil Karaban made it 3-0, set up by Ivan Stepanenko and Vladimir Volkov.

Aktobe refused to fold. Mikhail Bazanov pulled one back on the power play at 42:04 (Zakhar Zakharov, Yaroslav Khomenko). Aktobe pressed, and with 58:02 on the clock Yaroslav Komarov made it 3-2 from Maxim Kozorez and Nikita Alexandrov, setting up a frantic final two minutes. But Karaganda held firm.

Goaltenders: Danil Kadochnikov (Karaganda) — Dubovich (Aktobe).

Karaganda's three-goal explosion in the last seven minutes of the second period. Siksna's power-play opener at 30:16 broke Aktobe's disciplined early resistance, and the two quick strikes that followed — Borisevich at 33:45 and Karaban at 39:55 — effectively decided the game before Aktobe could regroup. The 3-0 cushion proved just enough to absorb Aktobe's third-period rally.

• Eriks Siksna (Karaganda): Opened the scoring on the power play at a crucial moment just past the midway point, shifting momentum decisively in Karaganda's favour.
• Alexander Borisevich (Karaganda): A goal and an assist. Started the move for Siksna's opener, then scored the all-important 2-0 himself.
• Danil Karaban (Karaganda): Also contributed a goal and an assist — the assist on Siksna's opener and the 3-0 strike at 39:55.
• Mikhail Bazanov (Aktobe): His early third-period power-play goal gave Aktobe hope and sparked the fightback.

Player of the match: Danil Karaban — a goal and an assist in a game that needed both.

The betmana.co.uk head-to-head records show Karaganda have won 29 of 35 meetings against Aktobe since 2020 — a historical dominance that the scoreline reflected, though not without a nervous finish. Both teams have scored in 31 of those 35 fixtures (89%), and this game continued the pattern: Aktobe's two late goals made it 3-2 rather than a comfortable Karaganda win. Over 2.5 goals has landed in all 35 meetings — this fixture consistently produces goals.

Karaganda controlled the middle period completely (3-0) but conceded twice in the third, suggesting a dip in intensity or tactical containment rather than sustained Aktobe dominance. The first period was a tactical stalemate (0-0), which makes the second-period burst even more striking.

Karaganda advance to the Kazakhstan Cup final on 25 August, where they will face Torpedo Ust-Kamenogorsk at Karagandy-Arena. Torpedo booked their place earlier on 24 August with a 5-2 win over Gornyak Rudny in the first semi-final. Aktobe exit at the semi-final stage after topping Group A in the group phase (as reported by Bookmaker Ratings and Shaiba.kz).

The winner of the Kazakhstan Cup earns the first silverware of the 2026-27 Pro Hokei Ligasy season. Karaganda — also known as Saryarka — are the cup holders and will look to defend their title against a Torpedo side they know well from domestic league competition.

A game of two periods — literally. Karaganda's devastating second-period spell decided it, but Aktobe's refusal to quit in the third means the 3-2 scoreline flattered neither side. Karaganda will need a far more complete 60-minute performance to beat Torpedo in the final.