And then there were four ...
We at the semi-final stage in an intriguing race for the Gagarin Cup. Will we see more upsets as the next round gets underway this week? Elsewhere, teams are looking to the future, and CSKA parted with a two-time champion coach.
Semi-finals set
We’re down to the last four. The 2024 KHL playoff semi-finals start this week – and it’s an unusual line-up. Three of the surviving teams have never won the Gagarin Cup. Similarly, only one of the four head coaches has led a team to glory before. And, thanks to the new cross-conference format, three of the four teams come from the Eastern Conference. The semi-finals start on Tuesday with Lokomotiv – coached by 2019 champion Igor Nikitin – taking on 2013’s beaten finalist Traktor. The second series starts a day later when Metallurg, champion in 2014 and 2016, facing Avtomobilist.
Loko on top in 2024’s first game seven
The Railwaymen reached the last four after outlasting Avangard in the first seven-game series of the season. Lokomotiv started well, winning both games in Omsk and inflicting a crushing 7-0 defeat on the Hawks. However, Avangard responded by sacking head coach Mikhail Kravets and interim boss Sergei Zvyagin pulled off three wins in the next four games, recovering from 1-3 in the series to force a decider on home ice. It was the first time the G-Drive Arena in Omsk hosted a game seven, but it didn’t go to plan for the home team. Loko played a powerful defensive game, blanking Avangard for a 2-0 scoreline that secured progress.
No home comfort as round two concludes. March 30 playoffs
Magnitka blanks prolific offense
Spartak, the KHL’s leading scorer in regular season, found it tough to generate offense throughout its series against Metallurg. Three times the Steelmen blanked Nikolai Goldobin & Co, and a fourth game ended in a 1-0 verdict for the Red-and-Whites. It all ended up a 4-2 series win for Magnitka, sealed with another shut-out in Moscow on Saturday as Andrei Razin’s team won 3-0.
Vorobyov replaces Fedorov
The post-season coaching changes continue, with CSKA Moscow opting not to renew Sergei Fedorov’s contract. Although Fedorov led the Muscovites to the cup in his first two seasons in charge, year three was a disappointment from start to finish. Indifferent regular season form culminated in a first-round playoff exit (Fedorov’s first ever playoff series loss as a head coach). That persuaded the management to follow a new course and last week the club announced that Ilya Vorobyov would take charge for 2024-2025. Vorobyov has spent most of his coaching career with Metallurg, where he assisted on Mike Keenan’s 2014 championship team before leading the class of 2016 to the cup. He has also worked with SKA and the Russian national team.
Fedotov to Flyers
CSKA confirmed another high-profile departure after cutting short its two-year contract with goalie Ivan Fedotov. The netminder returned to the team in the summer after completing his year of military service. At the time, this triggered a contract dispute with the Philadelphia Flyers of the NHL. However, following the end of CSKA’s season, the 27-year-old has left the KHL and joined up with the Flyers. CSKA retains his KHL rights. Last season, Fedotov had 21 wins in 44 regular season games, stopping 91.4% of shots for a GAA of 2.37.
Sibir names new head coach
The summer changes at Sibir continue. After appointing a new GM, the Novosibirsk club announced Anvar Gatiyatulin as its new head coach. The former Traktor man will be expected to get the club back into the playoffs after a frustrating season under David Nemirovsky last term. Gatiyatulin was dismissed from Chelyabinsk in October, having missed out on last year’s playoffs and seen the team make an indifferent start to the current campaign.
Severstal extends Kozyrev, Liska
One club that has confirmed its new manager is Severstal. The Steelmen announced a one-year extension for Andrei Kozyrev. He took the team to the playoffs in his first season after replacing the long-serving Andrei Razin and impressed many with the way his rebuilt team played with an emphasis on attractive, attacking hockey. Slovak forward Adam Liska is also staying in Cherepovets. He enjoyed his most productive season last term with 37 (14+23) points in 72 games.
WHL final – Agidel out, new champion beckons
The Women’s Hockey League is set to crown a new champion after perennial powerhouse Agidel Ufa fell in the semi-finals. Agidel lost out to Dynamo Neva in a shoot-out in the game five decider, with Anna Shokhina getting the winning goal after a 2-2 tie. Earlier, Alexandra Vafina’s third-period goal tied the game and steered the Petersburg team towards the final. In that showdown, Dynamo will face Biryusa Krasnoyarsk, victory over Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod in the semis. Neither team has won the cup before, meaning that we’re sure to witness a new chapter in the history of Russian Women’s hockey within the next couple of weeks.
