(5) Severstal Cherepovets 1
(4) Atlant Moscow Region 2
Atlant win the series 4-2
Atlant Moscow Region wrapped up its play-off series with Severstal after a hard-fought 2-1 win in Cherepovets. Last year's runner-up became the first team to record a road win in the best-of-seven showdown, and advanced to the Conference semi-final with a 4-2 series success.
As in the opening game of the play-off, Nikolai Zherdev got the game-winning goal - and as in that first match it came late, with just five minutes remaining. That was Zherdev's third play-off goal, and he was joined on three by team-mate Branko Radivojevic, who followed up his pair on Tuesday with the equalizer tonight.
Severstal, which started the game knowing only victory would keep the series alive, took an early lead when Nikita Alexeyev turned in a blue-liner from Ondrej Nemec, but could not hold on for the win.
Going the distance
(7) Dinamo Riga 3
(2) Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod 1
The series tied 3-3
That leaves just one place up for grabs in the West - and after Dinamo Riga's 3-1 win over Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod it's eyes down for a winner-takes-all showdown on Saturday.
The home side knew that any slip-up would end its play-off dream, and duly dominated much of the early play without being able to force a goal until Jekabs Redlihs opened the scoring on 24:59.
Despite being outgunned at times, Torpedo managed to tie the game through Ilya Krikunov 10 minutes later, but the final period saw Janis Sprukts and Marcel Hossa win it for Dinamo.
With the series poised at 3-3, the final place in the Western semi-finals will be decided at the weekend.
