Avangard Omsk vs Novosibirsk

The first period finished scoreless despite good chances at both ends. Avangard starting goaltender Nikita Serebryakov and Sibir's Anton Krasotkin each kept clean sheets through 20 minutes.

Sibir broke the deadlock at 26:28 of the second period through Alexander Mirzabalaev, who finished off a feed from Pavel Tyutnev. Mikhail Orlov doubled the lead at 30:02, with Sergei Popov and Taylor Beck collecting assists on a well-worked power-play-style sequence.

Avangard answered before the second intermission. Vasili Ponomarev — the Carolina Hurricanes prospect on loan in the KHL — buried a chance at 33:40 with Josh Leivo and Marsel Ibragimov drawing assists, cutting the deficit to 2-1 heading into the second break.

Ponomarev turned provider in the third period. His pass set up Andrew Poturalski at 52:11, with Joseph Cecconi also assisting, and the G-Drive Arena crowd roared as the score read 2-2.

The equaliser lasted exactly 33 seconds. From the restart, Daniil Valitov found Semyon Koshelev, who had slipped behind the Avangard defence and fired past Serebryakov to make it 3-2 at 52:44. The quick-strike response deflated the home side and shifted momentum decisively.

Avangard pushed for another equaliser in the final minutes, pulling Serebryakov for an extra attacker. Arkhip Nekolenko punished the gamble at 58:54 (Valitov with the primary assist), and Mikhail Abramov added a fifth into the empty net at 59:59 to complete the scoring.

Semyon Koshelev (Sibir) — The 26-year-old forward's immediate response goal after Avangard's equaliser was the game's decisive moment. He also registered a team-high in shots on net.

Vasili Ponomarev (Avangard) — A goal and an assist for the 22-year-old centre, who was Avangard's most dangerous forward. His line with Josh Leivo created the only sustained offensive pressure the hosts managed.

Mikhail Orlov (Sibir) — Opened his pre-season account with the crucial 0-2 goal, giving Sibir a cushion they ultimately protected.

Anton Krasotkin (Sibir) — Solid in net with stops on all but two of Avangard's efforts, including several key saves during the tight second period.

Sibir's 5-2 victory was built on finishing, not territorial dominance. The visitors went 2-for-2 on power-play opportunities — both Mirzabalaev and Koshelev's goals came with the man advantage — while Avangard failed to convert on their single power-play chance. The shot count was relatively even through two periods, but Sibir's ability to capitalise on Avangard's late-game risk-taking (pulling the goalie produced two ENG goals against) inflated the final margin. The H2H record now stands at 16-10 in Avangard's favour from 26 meetings since 2021.

The Blinov Cup round-robin continues on Thursday, with each team playing four matches before the final on 31 August. Avangard face Lokomotiv Yaroslavl next, while Sibir take on Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk. The KHL regular season begins 5 September, making these pre-season minutes critical for Guy Boucher's Avangard — who lost their opener on home ice despite a second-period fightback — and for Yaroslav Lyuzenkov's Sibir, who executed their game plan efficiently.

Sibir showed composure beyond a typical pre-season opener, absorbing Avangard's pushback and striking back immediately. For the hosts, the defensive breakdowns on Koshelev's winner and the inability to protect the net-front in the final minutes are areas Guy Boucher will address before Thursday's fixture against Lokomotiv. The scoreline 5-2 is a fair reflection of clinical finishing, not of a one-sided contest.