Avangard Omsk 3 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 0 (1-0, 0-0, 2-0)
(Series tied at 3-3)
For the second series in a row, Avangard is heading to game seven. Down 1-3 in the series, the Hawks sank their talons into Lokomotiv to take the contest the full distance. Evgeny Kulik scored for the second game in a row, Nikita Serebryakov made 32 saves and late markers from Nail Yakupov and Reid Boucher secured the win for the home team.
Neither head coach made any changes after Omsk’s 3-2 win in Yaroslavl on Saturday. And the early exchanges suggested that the same components might produce a similar outcome. Avangard started well, despite taking an early penalty. Both teams created chances and when Nikolai Prokhorkin emerged from the box in the sixth minute, he came close to opening the scoring for the home team.
An intense battle unfolded. It was rare for either team to enjoy sustained time on the attack but both sides created danger on the counter. However, the opening goal came after Avangard managed to pen Loko in its zone. Vladimir Tkachyov found space and dished off a pass for Kulik to score.
That lead held to the intermission but during the break Lokomotiv reviewed its game plan. The visitor adopted a pressing game in the middle frame and enjoyed the lion’s share of possession. Forced to defend, Avangard was indebted to Serebryakov’s skills. More than once, the Railwaymen had powerful shifts in front of his net, often maintaining possession even as they rotated their lines. Hard-working defense frustrated the visitor, and Serebryakov made one notable stop when he got his skate behind a puck that seemed destined for the bottom corner.
It wasn’t until the end of the session that play began to move away from the Avangard zone. In the closing stages the home team failed to convert a power play and then failed with a penalty shot. Yakupov was on his way to goal when he was fouled by Martin Gernat, but Isayev denied Ryan Spooner’s attempt.
In the third period, Lokomotiv again looked to its pressing game. By now, though, fatigue was playing a role and the visitor could not summon up the same kind of attacking energy. Avangard had more chances on the counter and Isayev had to stop Igor Martynov’s solo rush to keep his team in the game.
With the clock ticking down, Lokomotiv’s attacking efforts intensified – or, depending on your perspective, became more desperate. There were crazy scenes on the slot, with the puck bouncing around but never finding its way across the goal line. Then, with five to play, Konstantin Okulov unlocked the Loko rearguard, springing Yakupov who delivered a fine finish.
Salvation looked unlikely at that point and when Isayev went to the bench, Avangard finished the job. Reid Boucher quickly pounced for an empty-net goal. His was the final word and the series goes back to Yaroslavl on Tuesday for the final instalment.
Spartak Moscow 1 Salavat Yulaev Ufa 2 OT (0-0, 1-1, 0-0, 0-1)
(Series tied at 3-3)
Spartak missed the chance to secure its place in the Gagarin Cup semi-finals for the first time after falling to Salavat Yulaev on home ice. Alexei Zhamnov’s team can still get there, but must now come through a game seven decider in Ufa to take its place.
The visitor had two heroes in Monday’s win in the capital. Alexei Vasilevsky potted the winning goal in overtime to prolong this second-round battle. But before that, goalie Semyon Vyazovoi produced 40 saves to frustrate the home forwards and keep his team in contention.
Spartak outshot Ufa 41-25 through 74 minutes of play. That was partly a reflection of the Red-and-Whites greater willingness to shoot the puck: the gap in attacking possession was not so profound, but Salavat Yulaev clearly preferred to seek out more promising chances rather than simply focus on firing on the net at every opportunity.
The visitor was without Josh Leivo, who remained in Ufa due to an unspecified health issue. In the absence of one of the team’s leading forwards, Salavat Yulaev struggled to generate offense in a goalless first period and managed just two shots at Artyom Zagidulin in the home net. At the other end, Vyazovoi made 11 saves.
Yet the opening goal, early in the second, went to the men in green. A counterattack saw Alexander Chyorny fire in a low shot across Zagidulin’s pads. Vladislav Yefremov got to the rebound and put the puck past the goalie.
Spartak responded quickly and tied the game in the 28th minute. Young Sergei Lukyantsev potted his third playoff goal off a perfect feed from Demid Mansurov. It wasn’t the combination most likely to strike for Spartak, but it got the desired result.
After those quick goals the game opened up. Both teams generated chances in the rest of the second period, but neither could make a breakthrough.
In the third period, Spartak regained the initiative. The home team once again outshot Salavat Yulaev and finished regulation strongly. Early in the session, the Muscovites had a power play but could not convert. Then, the closing stages saw good chances for Nikolai Goldobin, German Rubtsov and Veniamin Korolyov.
It all added up to overtime for the third time in this hard-fought series. Again, Spartak had more shots at Vyazovoi but by now the visitor was enjoying more possession. And when home defenseman Andrei Mironov took a tripping minor midway through the extras, the balance of play tipped. Salavat Yulaev took a time-out to try to press home its advantage. The Spartak penalty kill survived, thanks to several blocked shots, but once back at even strength the home team fell.
In the 75th minute Dennis Yan got the puck into Spartak territory once again and after a battle for possession in the corner, Vasilevsky fired home the winner to take the series back to Ufa for a deciding game.