Gagarin Cup final perfectly poised

Four games played, two wins apiece. Ak Bars and Lokomotiv look set to serve up another cup final for the ages. Read on for the inside track on the climactic battle of the season.

Swift double settles game one

Lokomotiv took the opening game, thanks to two goals in 46 seconds at the start of the second period. Alexander Radulov and Maxim Beryozkin did the damage, building a 2-0 lead and laying the foundations for a 3-1 win.

Ak Bars hits back in game two

Mitch Miller dominated the second game, finished with 4 (3+1) points to become the first defenseman to hit a hat-trick in a Gagarin Cup final game. His contribution paced an emphatic 5-1 victory to send the series to Kazan with Ak Bars full of confidence. The visitor grabbed five goals on 28 shots to stun the defending champion.

Kayumov landmark crowns Loko win

But in Kazan, Lokomotiv found the perfect riposte, winning 4-1 to go back in front in the series. Beryozkin was on target again, opening the scoring before Richard Panik doubled the lead. Another Miller goal gave the home team hope, but only briefly. Nikita Cherepanov’s first of the playoffs restored the two-goal advantage, and Artur Kayumov’s empty-netter wrapped it up. Kayumov’s goal took him to 300 points in 578 KHL games, all of them for Lokomotiv.

Tied after four

When Lokomotiv got up after 26 minutes of game four, it felt like it could be a decisive moment. Each previous game went to the team that opened the scoring, and a road win for the Railwaymen would have Bob Hartley’s men in a position to lift the trophy on home ice on Tuesday. But Ak Bars turned it around. Artyom Galimov tied it up in the second period, then Alexander Chmelevski’s power play goal won it midway through the third.

Miller time

Ak Bars defenseman Mitch Miller’s hat-trick in game has written one piece of history – and he’s closing on more. The 24-year-old American is up to 22 points, leading the playoffs in scoring, after an assist on Alexander Chmelevski’s game-winner on Sunday. No defenseman has ever finished top scorer in post season in the KHL, but Miller is six points clear of his closest active rival, Alexander Radulov. Miller has already overtaken Chris Lee’s 21-point haul for Metallurg, the previous best result for a defenseman.

New head coach for Traktor

Evgeny Koreshkov has left has post as head coach in Chelyabinsk. Traktor confirmed during the week that the 56-year-old would not continue next season. Koreshkov took over in December after Benoit Groulx’s unexpected return to North America and won 16 of 32 regular season games. Traktor then lost in five to Ak Bars in the first round of the playoffs. American Scott Gordon is widely expected to be confirmed as Traktor’s new head coach. The 63-year-old has more than 30 years’ experience, including time in the NHL and the national team program.

Minsk secures North American strike force

Dinamo Minsk confirmed a new contract for Alex Limoges, following the recent deal for Sam Anas. Limoges agreed a three-year term after a successful debut season that brought 79 (25+54) points alongside Anas, who was the leading scorer in regular season.

Kharlamov Cup final tied at 1-1

While Lokomotiv goes for the Gagarin Cup, Yaroslavl’s junior team, Loko, is up against Spartak for the JHL’s Kharlamov Cup. And, like the seniors, the youngsters are deadlocked. It’s 1-1 after the opening games in Yaroslavl. The home team took a 3-2 verdict in the opener, only for Spartak to respond with a 3-1 success on Saturday. The action continues today in Moscow.