KAZAN (Interstat) — Alexei Byvaltsev scored 1:35 into overtime, and Ak Bars Kazan defeated Lada Togliatti 3-2 in a Kontinental Hockey League game Monday, Sept. 21, 2026, at TatNeft Arena. Byvaltsev converted a setup from Nikita Lyamkin and Grigory Denisenko to end a tight, physical contest before an announced attendance of 7,425. Ak Bars improved to 5-3, while Lada fell to 1-6. The home side won after trailing early and needing a strong finish from goaltender Timur Bilyalov to force the extra period. The overtime winner came after a scoreless stretch that lasted more than 20 minutes.

Lada struck first at 4:53 of the opening period. Evgeny Groshev scored for the visitors, with assists from Vladislav Chervonenko and Nikolai Makarov. The goal came shortly after Ak Bars was assessed a two-minute penalty for too many players on the ice. Ak Bars tied the game at 9:06 of the first. Grigory Denisenko scored, with Andrei Stas earning the assist. The goal arrived during a stretch of special teams play after Lada received overlapping penalties for holding and throwing the puck outside the playing area, giving Ak Bars a two-man advantage. Denisenko’s goal shifted momentum, and Ak Bars began controlling more of the play in the second period.

Ak Bars took a 2-1 lead at 21:49 of the second period when Dmitry Katelevsky scored. Alexander Chmelevski and Albert Yarullin assisted on the go-ahead goal. Bilyalov made several important stops through the middle frame, including saves on a Lada flurry. Lada was called for too many players on the ice at 31:41, but Ak Bars could not add to its lead on the ensuing power play. The visitors stayed within reach and found an equalizer early in the third.

Lada pulled even at 40:09 of the third period. Nikita Mikhailov scored just nine seconds into the period, with Nikita Setdikov picking up the assist. The goal stunned the home crowd and set up a back-and-forth finish. Lada pressured for the go-ahead goal, with Riley Sawchuk and Makarov generating shots. Ak Bars answered with chances of its own, but neither side could score again in regulation. Bilyalov finished with 29 saves on 31 shots, earning the win. Bilyalov was Ak Bars’ top star. He had entered the game after recent losses to HC Sochi, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod and Metallurg Magnitogorsk, plus a win over Traktor Chelyabinsk.

Denisenko finished with one goal, one assist, three shots and two hits. Byvaltsev had one goal, two shots and one hit. Katelevsky recorded one goal, one shot and one hit. Chmelevski contributed one assist, three shots and one hit. For Lada, Groshev scored on three shots and added a hit. Mikhailov scored on his only shot. Makarov had one assist, four shots, two penalty minutes and one hit. Setdikov added one assist and three shots. Sawchuk registered three shots and one hit.

Lada’s record dropped to 1-6 after its sixth loss in seven games. The team will visit Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk on Wednesday. Ak Bars, now 5-3, will visit Sibir Novosibirsk on Thursday. In overtime, Denisenko helped create the winner when he moved the puck to Byvaltsev, who beat the Lada goaltender for the decisive goal. The extra period lasted only 1:35. Ak Bars celebrated a home victory after a game that featured six penalties, several momentum swings and a strong goaltending performance from Bilyalov. Lada’s penalty kill faced pressure in the first period, while Ak Bars’ defense tightened in the final minutes of regulation. Ak Bars secured the extra point and continued its strong start to the season.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Ak Bars 4, Lada 1. The ELO system gave Ak Bars an 84.2 percent probability to win.