Slovak strength for Lokomotiv. Gagarin Cup finals top imports
Martin Gernat lifted the cup with Lokomotiv, Zach Fucale stood tall in net for Traktor, and Steven Kampfer closed out a storied career. KHL.ru presents the best players from each country.
Slovakia
D, Lokomotiv, 5 G, 1 (1+0) point, even
The Slovak defenseman has been a force for the Railwaymen in the last two seasons – his first in the KHL. And this year Gernat – along with his fellow Slovak countryman Richard Panik – conquered the Gagarin Cup, joining a small group of players from the country that lifted the cup, a club that also has Dominik Granat, Tomas Starosta, Roman Kukumberg, and Christian Jaros. After a mistake in the first game, Gernat upped his game, and scored the go-ahead goal in the fifth, decisive game for the Railwaymen. The towering defenseman had five points in Lokomotiv’s Gagarin Cup run and has proven himself as one of the most reliable blueliners in the league. However, his contract in Yaroslavl runs out in a week.
Canada
G, Traktor, 5 G, 1 W, 148 saves, 93.08%, GAA 2.20
The Quebec native goalie did all he could to give his team a chance, and managed to earn a well-deserve win in the first game of the series, when he made 33 saves over 34 shots from the Yaroslavl side. Two days later, his performance wasn’t less impressive, with 43 saves, despite Traktor lost the match. He played well throughout the whole series, and had 28 stops in the fifth match, helping the Chelyabinsk side at least reach extra time. Just like Gernat, his contract runs out soon.
US
D, Traktor, 5 G, 1 (1+0) point, -4
Kampfer had an excellent career, with his first Gagarin Cup finals appearance being the icing on the cake of more than fifteen years in pro hockey. After the finals, the Michigan-born blueliner announced his retirement. He was excellent for the whole season for the Chelyabinsk side, reaching the ten-goal mark from the blue line and serving as one of the alternate captains for the team. In the finals’ fifth game, Kampfer scored the goal that sent the action to extra time and gave Chelyabinsk hope. In 2021-2022, the defenseman lined up for Ak Bars in his first season overseas. His name will certainly be missed in the hockey world.
