The 2026 Gagarin Cup finals are here!

Lokomotiv enters its third consecutive Gagarin Cup finals, this time facing Ak Bars in a repeat of the first-ever finals back in 2009. The Railwaymen needed two OTs in Game Seven against Avangard to get there, while the Kazan side handed a 4-1 defeat to regular-season champions, Metallurg. Ak Bars is currently tied with CSKA and Metallurg for the most Gagarin Cup titles with three apiece, and now has the opportunity to become the competition’s outright most successful franchise with a fourth championship. Lokomotiv, meanwhile, is chasing its second title after last year’s triumph.

14:30: Lokomotiv (1^st W) vs Ak Bars (3^rd E)

Series stand:
0-0.

Series history:
2009. Gagarin Cup finals matchup. Ak Bars defeated Lokomotiv 4-3.

About the game
In the regular season, the teams traded home wins in the two confrontations, with Ak Bars shutting out Lokomotiv in October (1:0) and the Railwaymen getting their revenge the next month (3:1).
In the first round of this year’s Gagarin Cup playoffs, Western top-seed Lokomotiv defeated Spartak (4-1), while Ak Bars had the best of Traktor with the same score. In the second round, Lokomotiv swept Salavat Yulaev (4-0), while Ak Bars defeated Dinamo Minsk also in four games. In the semifinals, Lokomotiv got past Avangard in a tough series (4-3), with Ak Bars needing five games to defeat regular-season champion Metallurg (4-1).
Lokomotiv’s forward Maxim Shalunov enters the Gagarin Cup finals on a three-game scoring streak, with 5 (4+1) points over that stretch.
Ak Bars’ forward Dmitrij Jaskin is also on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (3+1) points over that span.
Ak Bars’ defenseman Nikita Lyamkin had an assist in each of his previous three matches.

Milestone alert
Lokomotiv’s goalie Alexei Melnichuk may record his 10^th KHL shutout.
Lokomotiv’s forward Pavel Kraskovsky may reach 200 league points (currently at 198).
Lokomotiv’s goalie Daniil Isayev may record his 40^th career shutout.
Lokomotiv’s forward Artur Kayumov may record his 300^th career point (currently at 298).
Lokomotiv’s head coach Bob Hartley can celebrate his 50^th win in the Gagarin Cup playoffs.
Ak Bars’ goalie Timur Bilyalov may line up for his 400^th KHL game and record his 40^th career shutout.