Loko is level

Lokomotiv hit back to tie the 2025 Gagarin Cup final with a big win in game two. It’s the third series in a row that the Railwaymen have responded after dropping the opener and it means we’re headed to Chelyabinsk with the teams tied at 1-1.

Dominant performance gets Railwaymen back on track

Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 4 Traktor Chelyabinsk 1 (0-1, 2-0, 2-0)

(Series tied at 1-1)

After falling behind early, Lokomotiv finally discovered its scoring touch in this year’s Gagarin Cup final. Second-period tallies from Alexander Polunin and Georgy Ivanov cancelled out Buddy Robinson’s opener for Traktor. Then, in the third, two goals in 20 seconds put the game out of the visitor’s reach as Igor Nikitin’s men squared the series.

After losing the opener, Nikitin adopted a Panik measure – in the shape of Slovak forward Richard Panik. He returned to the team after shaking off the injury he sustained back in the second-round series against Avangard. Daniil Tesanov made way for him. Traktor continued with an unchanged team after winning game one 2-1.

In that first game, Traktor had the early initiative. This time, Lokomotiv was determined to prevent any repeat. From the first shifts, it was full steam ahead for the Railwaymen and the first power play of the game followed in the third minute. Grigory Dronov’s foul led to a goal ... but not for the home team. Zach Fucale stopped everything that came his way and, on the counter, Robinson got a solo breakaway and beat Daniil Isayev to give the visitor the lead.

Lokomotiv was not downhearted and continued to press throughout the first period. Traktor found it tough, but Fucale kept his goal intact and his defensemen blocked 12 shots in the opening frame.

After the intermission, Lokomotiv tightened the screws still further. The opening exchanges of the second period were played out in front of Fucale’s net and Yaroslavl regularly got to the slot. And that’s where both goals in the middle frame come from. Polunin tied the scores 98 seconds after the restart, then Ivanov put the host up in the 36th minute. The dominance was almost complete, but there was no further scoring. The defense distinguished itself again with more blocked shots, yet Traktor came close to a second goal when Vasily Glotov dinged the piping. The visitor also lost Robinson to injury after a collision with Maxim Shalunov.

In the third period, Traktor tried to get more control of the game. Nonetheless, Lokomotiv continued to fashion the better opportunities. Byron Froese and Yegor Surin had dangerous efforts, with the latter having two good chances to beat Fucale from close range. It wasn’t to be the youngster’s day, but it was a success for his team. Loko broke the game decisively in the 57th minute with two quite goal. Maxim Beryzokin added a third from the slot, then Nikita Kiryanov’s empty-netter put the cherry on top. After last season’s sweep at Metallurg’s hands, Lokomotiv skated to victory in a Gagarin Cup final game for the first time since 2009; now the action moves to Chelyabinsk with the teams perfectly poised.