MHK Sokil confirms title in Ukraine

01 Apr 2023Davide Tuniz»

Despite the difficulties caused by the war, the Ukrainian championship managed to come to an end with the confirmation of the title of Sokil Kyiv

The Ukrainian championship was played without spectators and with alarms sounding during matches or games postponed due to the danger of attacks. But the six participating teams, representatives of cities like Kherson, where it was not possible to play, showed their great passion for hockey, finishing the regular season and then the playoffs. The final series, between the winners of the regular season HC Kremenchuk and the defending champions of MHK Sokil, heirs of the legendary team that participated in the Soviet championship. It took five games, all finished with very close results, including the decisive game five, the longest one in the history of the finals, played in Kremenchuk and decided by a goal after 96 minutes by veteran Sergei Babinets, MVP of the playoffs. Last season the league was interrupted due to the outbreak of war and Sokil, the league leaders at the time, were declared champions.
These are the awards of the season:

Top Scorer –Vitaly Lyalka (HC Kremenchuk)

Best young player –Andriy Krivonozhkin (Legion Kalush)

Best goalkeeper –Eduard Zakharchenko (Dnipro Kherson)

Best defender -Yevhen Ratushny (Dnipro Kherson)

Best forward -Serhiy Babynets (MHK Sokil Kyiv)

The most valuable player of the regular season (MVP) –Vitaly Lyalka(Kremenchuk)

The most valuable player in the playoffs (MVP) –Serhiy Babynets(Sokil)

The best coach –Oleksandr Bobkin (Dnipro)