Lokomotiv Yaroslavl vs Novosibirsk

Radulov's first power-play goal at 28:21 ended a tense stalemate and opened the floodgates. His second goal six minutes later, also on the PP, gave Lokomotiv a lead they never looked like surrendering. Sibir had no answer to Lokomotiv's power-play execution — the defending KHL champions scored on four of their opportunities.

• Alexander Radulov (Lokomotiv Yaroslavl) — The veteran KHL star registered a power-play double in the second period, his 28th-minute opener breaking the deadlock. Player of the match.
• Egor Sergeev (Lokomotiv Yaroslavl) — A goal and an assist from the blue line, including the 3–1 marker early in the third period.
• Rushan Rafikov (Lokomotiv Yaroslavl) — One goal and two assists, quarterbacking Lokomotiv's power-play units effectively.
• Semyon Koshelev (Sibir Novosibirsk) — A power-play goal and an assist in a losing cause.

The final scoreline of 5–2 mirrored both teams' Day 1 results — Lokomotiv beat Neftekhimik 4–2 and Sibir beat Avangard 5–2 on 26 August. Where the raw score suggests a close contest, the timing tells a different story: Lokomotiv scored four power-play goals across the final 32 minutes, turning a tight game into a comfortable win. The scoreless first period and the fact that six of seven total goals came on the power play underline the pre-season nature of the contest, with special teams — not five-on-five play — deciding the outcome.

Lokomotiv (2–0) sit top of the Blinov Cup standings with four points from two games. Sibir (1–1) have three points after their opening win over hosts Avangard. Both teams play on 29 August: Lokomotiv face Avangard at 16:30 MSK, while Sibir take on Severstal.

Lokomotiv's power-play efficiency was the difference. Radulov's pedigree shone through in a game that lacked five-on-five flow typical of pre-season, but the KHL champions showed why they remain the team to beat, converting their special-teams chances with clinical precision. Sibir will need to tighten their penalty kill ahead of their next test.