Avangard starts the playoffs on March 2, CSKA and Ak Bars on March 3

KHL.ru updates the playoff schedule

The KHL regular season comes to an end on Feb. 27 and the 16 leading teams will advance to the Gagarin Cup playoffs. All the competing teams have already secured their places, but the Conference Quarterfinal match-ups are still to be decided.

Each series is to be played on a best-of-seven basis, finishing when one team achieves four victories. The first two games and, if necessary, games five and seven, will be played at the home arena of the team that finished higher in regular season.

In both conferences, the pairings for each stages of the playoffs will start by pitting the highest-placed surviving team against the lowest, then the second highest against the second lowest, etc.

Preliminary playoff schedule

March 2, 4, 6, 8, 10*, 12*, 14*  – dates for the 2v7 and 3v6 match-ups.

March 3, 5, 7, 9, 11*, 13*, 15* – dates for the 1v8 and 4v5 match-ups.

Irrespective of the finishing positions of teams in the regular season, the following will apply:

• Avangard Omsk will start its first round playoff series on March 2.
• The first round series involving CSKA (which starts at home) and Spartak (which starts on the road) will begin on the same day, due to the fact that the clubs share the same arena.

The final pairings and schedule for the first round playoffs will be announced once the finishing positions of the top eight in each conference are confirmed.