CSKA underlined its role as favorite in Game 1! Preview for April 15th

When looking at 10 years of Gagarin Cup history, tonight’s Game 2 should go a long way in determining who will be this year’s champion. That means that Avangard is especially hard-pressed for a win!

19:30 CSKA (1st in the West) vs. Avangard (4th in the East)

Series stand

1 – 0 for CSKA

Game 1: 5-2 win for CSKA

Injured

Avangard Karri Ramo

About the game

- For 9 of 10 Gagarin Cups to date, the team that won Game 2 of the series has gone on to win the series itself. The one exception was Metallurg in 2017.

- The highest amount of goals ever scored in a Game 2 was seven when Ak Bars defeated Lokomotiv 4-3 in 2009.

- A team that has gone up 2-0 in a Gagarin Cup series, which has happened five times to date, has always proceeded to win the Gagarin Cup.

- Okulov is hoping to collect his 50th career KHL assist.

- Blazhievsky is hoping to collect his 50th career KHL point.

- Slepyshev is looking to suit up for his 50th career KHL playoff game.

- When a Gagarin Cup series has been tied 1-1, a stance that has happened on five occasions, the team that won the second game has gone on to win the series 4 times.

- Shumakov is hoping to collect his 200th career KHL point. He currently has 198. In addition, he’s hoping to score his 100th career KHL goal. He has 98. With two more goals, he could hit two birds with one stone.

- Petrov is looking to collect his 250th career KHL point. He currently has 248.

- Shirokov’s next goal will be his 150th career goal in the KHL.

- Beck has the opportunity to tie the KHL record for powerplay points in the KHL playoffs in one season. He currently has 14 while record-holder Chris Lee once had 15.