It all starts today
This is what it all comes down to – the 2026 Gagarin Cup final starts in Yaroslavl today. The match-up between Lokomotiv and Ak Bars is rich in sub-plots, as the Railwaymen look to defend their title against an opponent seeking a record-breaking fourth crown.
Party like its 2009
This year’s Gagarin Cup final is a repeat of the first ever edition, played in 2009. Back then, Ak Bars edged Lokomotiv in seven games with a solitary goal from current KHL president Alexei Morozov deciding game seven. Since then, Ak Bars has won two more titles – in 2010 and 2018 – while Lokomotiv won the trophy for the first time last season.
The longest game seven
To get to its third successive grand final, Lokomotiv had to do it the hard way. The semi-final series with Avangard went to seven games, and the decider went to a second period of overtime. Maxim Beryozkin was the Railwaymen’s hero, completing a fightback from 1-3 in the game, and in the series, with an 89th-minute marker in Yaroslavl. That was the ninth game to go to a second period of OT this season, matching the record set in 2014.
Spectacular recovery in game six
Even before Wednesday’s fireworks, Loko produced a dramatic fightback to save its season in game six. Down 2-0 going into the last minute, the defending champion scored twice in the final seconds to force overtime. In the extras, Rushan Rafikov popped up with the winner to deny the Hawks a trip to the final.
Shalunov joins the Snipers’ Club
Maxim Shalunov scored those two late goals to save Loko in game six. The first of them made him the ninth player to notch 250 in the KHL. Shalunov also scored in game seven and currently has 252 goals from 803 games.
Radulov chases third crown
Loko’s leading scorer in this year’s playoffs is Alexander Radulov, with 14 (5+9) points. That’s two short of the 16 points he contributed to last season’s win. Radulov also won the title with Salavat Yulaev back in 2011, and was on the last Ak Bars team to make the grand final back in 2023. The 39-year-old also helped CSKA to the 2016 final.
Hartley’s champs go up against … Hartley
Three people in the current Ak Bars set-up were part of Bob Hartley’s title-winning Avangard team in 2021. Assistant coach Konstantin Shafranov and conditioning coach Brandon Bovee were both part of the Canadian’s staff that season, while forward Kirill Semyonov was on the championship roster. Now all three are up against their former boss, who is currently behind the Lokomotiv bench, as they look to lift the cup for a second time.
Loko old boys line up for Ak Bars
Two Ak Bars players – captain Alexei Marchenko and forward Grigory Denisenko – came to Kazan after spells with Lokomotiv. Marchenko was also captain in Yaroslavl, while Denisenko began his career in the club’s junior system. “I know almost everyone at Lokomotiv, we grew up playing together,” said Denisenko. “But there are no friends on the ice, even if we are comrades off it. We have two big, powerful teams, and the details will make the difference – who does those things better will win the series.” For Marchenko, the sweep of Dinamo Minsk earlier in the playoffs could be a handy warm-up for Ak Bars. “We will draw on how we played to get here,” he said. “Lokomotiv might be a bit more like Dinamo – but they have a bit more experience, the guys are physically stronger. But their pattern of play is pretty similar.”
Yaroslavl up for Junior Cup
As well as going for the Gagarin Cup, Loko is also in the Kharlamov Cup final. The Yaroslavl juniors battled through to the JHL’s decisive series, rolling over surprise-package Chayka in six games in the semi-final. In the final series, which starts on Tuesday, Loko will play Spartak. The Muscovites kept their title defense alive despite falling 0-3 down inside nine minutes of Sunday’s game seven against Avto. Two goals from Danila Sysoyev led the fightback, and Evgeny Yakunin potted the winner in a 5-4 thriller.
