(1) Traktor Chelyabinsk 1
(8) Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk 0
Traktor win the series 4-1
Traktor Chelyabinsk booked its place in the Eastern Conference semi-final with a narrow 1-0 win over Yugra Khanty Mansiysk to clinch the series 4-1. Vladimir Antipov got the decisive goal on 51:01, taking his tally for the play-offs to 7 and putting him two clear on top of the goalscoring leaderboard. And there was further good news for Traktor, with Evgeny Kuznetsov returning to the side after injury to help put the Chelyabinsk side into the next stage.
Missed opportunity
(4) Ak Bars Kazan 1
(5) Salavat Yulaev Ufa 2
Ak Bars lead the series 3-2
Ak Bars Kazan could not make the most of its home advantage and complete a series win over defending champion Salavat Yulaev, with Game 5 going to the visitors by a 2-1 verdict.
The Ufa team, which knew defeat would end its title defense at the first hurdle, made the perfect start thanks to Alexander Svitov's goal on 1:46, but home hopes were raised when Alexei Tereshchenko tied the game at 1-1 on 9:45.
A scoreless second period highlighted how little there was to choose between these two old foes, but the game was settled with barely 10 minutes to play by Sergei Zinovyev, a player who has won championships with both clubs. Ak Bars still leads the series 3-2; Game 6 is in Ufa on Friday.
Barys falls short
(3) Metallurg Magnitogorsk 4 OT
(6) Barys Astana 3
Barys lead the series 3-2
Barys Astana traveled to Magnitogorsk hoping to complete a shock series success over Metallurg - but found the hosts in obdurate mood to win 4-3 in overtime. Maxim Sushinsky got the vital powerplay goal on 61:11 to keep the play-off series alive and set up Game 6 in Astana on Friday, but only after a thrilling fightback had put Barys on the brink of progressing.
It seemed so easy for the home side when Sergei Mozyakin opened up a 3-1 lead on 49:38, but the Kazakhs roared back in the last five minutes, with goals from Dustin Boyd and Andrew Hutchinson tying the game with 53 seconds left. But Sushinsky's effort ensured that Magnitka fights on despite trailling 2-3 in the series.
