Loko steams into 2024 final. April 8 playoffs
Lokomotiv swept into its first Gagarin Cup final since 2009, wrapping up this semi-final series with a 3-0 win in Chelyabinsk. Goals from Martin Gernat, Artur Kayumov and Sergei Andronov paved the way to victory, while Daniil Isayev made 25 saves to record his third shut-out of this year’s playoffs.
For Traktor, so impressive as it swept regular season champion Dynamo in round two, this was a huge disappointment. The Chelyabinsk team was hindered by the loss of goalie Zach Fucale to injury in game one but Monday’s shut-out loss was a sad way to end a promising campaign.
Traktor Chelyabinsk 0 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 3 (0-1, 0-2, 0-0)
Lokomotiv wins the series 4-0
Zach Fucale remained unavailable due to the injury he sustained in the opening game of this series. Traktor made no changes from the team that lost 1-2 in game three. Lokomotiv brought Ivan Chekhovich back into the offense in place of Stepan Nikulin. The visitor also shuffled some of its lines. Maxim Beryozkin moved up to the first line wing, with Daniil Tesanov dropping to the third. Nikita Kiryanov was named 13th forward and Daniil But went to the second line.
It was clear from the first shift that Lokomotiv wanted this done tonight. Mylnikov was tested in the first minute when Maxim Shalunov banged in a close-range effort. The pressure continued, and in the third minute the home goalie made another big save to stop Alexander Polunin’s wrister. Then Beryozkin set up Artur Kayumov for another big chance as Traktor struggled to stay in the game.
The inevitable breakthrough came midway through the session. After forcing a turnover, the visitor moved swiftly through center ice. Chekhovich brought play into the danger zone before setting up Martin Gernat for the opening goal.
After falling behind, Traktor managed to move play away from its net in the latter stages of the first period. However, despite some half chances, there was no way past Isayev as Loko preserved its lead until the intermission.
Early in the second period, Tesanov received the first penalty of the game. Traktor came close to converting that chance, with Danil Yurtaikin angling in a shot that clattered off the piping. However, once the visitor was back at full strength it doubled the lead. Alexander Yelesin sent the puck behind the net, where Beryozkin picked his moment to send it back for the unmarked Kayumov on the slot.
After that Traktor killed a penalty, but fell further behind on 33 minutes when Sergei Andronov banged in the rebound fromAndrei Sergeyev’s point shot. The visitor thought it had a fourth goal just before the second break. Mylnikov stopped a shot from Yelesin, Georgy Ivanov shot against the post and Tesanov stuffed the rebound into the net. However, a video review ruled that he impeded the goalie in the process and it remained 3-0.
It was no surprise that Traktor tried to raise its offensive tempo in the third period. However, it was equally predictable that Lokomotiv would apply its familiar game management and look to run down the clock in the final stanza. It spoke to the home team’s difficulties that Mylnikov was replaced with a sixth skater as early as the 53rd minute. And it rather summed up Traktor’s day that the next significant incident saw Charles Robinson pick up an interference call. Lokomotiv did not rush to unleash the full force of its power play, but happily wiped another two minutes off the clock with its three-goal lead intact.
When Robinson returned from the box, Mylnikov again went to the sidelines. However, with barely three minutes to play, there was little hope of saving the game. Lokomotiv diligently kept the play to the perimeter and closed out the remaining moments with few alarms.
