Shalunov gives Lokomotiv the edge

A tight game in Yaroslavl was decided by a single goal as the defending champion made a winning start in round two.

Narrow win for defending champ

Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 1 Salavat Yulaev Ufa 0 (0-0, 1-0, 0-0)
Lokomotiv leads the series 1-0

A solitary goal from Maxim Shalunov was enough to win this game for Lokomotiv. The defending champion kept a dangerous Ufa offense quiet in the opening encounter of this Gagarin Cup Round Two opener, with Daniil Isayev making 28 saves.

For Salavat Yulaev, it’s the second series in a row the team has failed to score in game one. In the previous round, a 0-2 loss at Avtomobilist did not prevent Viktor Kozlov’s team from winning it in six.

Evgeny Kuznetsov was a key figure in game six against Avto, scoring in the last seconds and assisting on Sheldon Rempal’s overtime winner. He trained on his own in the build-up but was not fit to feature in today’s game. Vladimir Butuzov got his first post-season appearance. Lokomotiv continued with largely the same personnel that saw off Spartak in round one.

Lokomotiv, which dropped the opening game of its 2025 semi-final series against Salavat Yulaev 1-3, made a bright start. Martin Gernat fired narrowly wide on the opening shift, and Yegor Surin couldn’t quite get hold of the rebound. The home team had more possession and posed a greater offensive threat, leading to the first power play of the game in the ninth minute. Bob Hartley’s team looked handy with the extra man, but could not open a clear shooting line to test Semyon Vyazovoi in the visitor’s net.

After killing that penalty, Salavat Yulaev began to get into the game. At last, there was some work for Isayev to do, and his greatest challenge saw him capture a dangerous rebound off the end boards.

In the second period, Ufa defended carefully as Lokomotiv looked to build up the pressure. Yet, for all the home team’s possession, its best opportunities came one the counter – highlighting the effectiveness of the visiting D.

The opening – and decisive – goal came in the 38th minute. It was a play of deceptive simplicity: Rushan Rafikov’s stretch pass, Maxim Beryozkin’s advance down the left-hand boards, and Shalunov’s devastating one-timer from the right-hand circle. But that understates Beryozkin’s contribution, holding off the attentions of Semyon Varlov before spotting a team-mate who had gotten open and dishing off a backhanded pass. Then Shalunov produced a blistering shot over Vyazovoi’s glove, giving the visiting goaltender no chance.

After the intermission, Salavat Yulaev played with greater attacking intent. Suddenly, there were scoring chances for Artyom Pimenov and Yegor Suchkov, but neither could beat Isayev. At the other end, Alexander Polunin twice tested Vyazovoi and also hit the post. In the closing stages, an Ufa power play enabled the visitor to play six-on-four, but there was still no way to find a tying goal.