HC Aktobe edged HK Arlan Kokschetau 4-3 on the road in regulation, taking the Kazakhstan Cup matchup with a decisive third-period push. The visitors controlled the opening frame and held on through a back-and-forth middle period to secure the two points.
Aktobe opened with a 2-1 lead after the first, but Arlan answered with two goals in the second to knot the game at 3-3 entering the third. The road side then grabbed the only goal of the final frame, closing out a 3-4 result that never required overtime.
The game was decided by a single third-period strike, with Aktobe outscoring Arlan 2-1 in the first and 1-0 in the third while the home side managed the middle-period edge. Ultimately, Aktobe's ability to respond after losing the lead proved the difference.