Game 1 - April 14 - Ak Bars v CSKA 2-1
Stanislav Galiyev struck twice to give Ak Bars victory in the opening game of the Gagarin Cup final – and reawaken a rivalry from his youth hockey days. Galiyev, now 26, learned the game at CSKA’s cross-town rival Dynamo, rising through the age groups to represent the club in the Russian U16 Championship finals in 2007. After that he headed across the Atlantic, impressing in the junior leagues but unable to force his way into the Capitals’ offense, before returning to Russia in the summer to join Ak Bars. His first season back in his homeland was solid enough but rarely saw Galiyev making big headlines – until today, when it really mattered. Then, at the start of the biggest series of the season, he produced a game winning performance with two sniper’s finishes to see off CSKA and give Ak Bars the early initiative as the Kazan team goes for a record-breaking third Gagarin Cup win.
Galiyev opened the scoring in the ninth minute as Ak Bars picked up the pace following a sluggish start. Nikita Lyamkin kept the puck in the CSKA zone and fed Vladimir Tkachyov on the right wing. Tkachyov slipped the puck to Galiyev, who unleashed a shot from the top of the circle to beat the Swedish goalie. SKA had failed to score on Lars Johansson in 74 attempts in the previous round; Ak Bars needed just five efforts to beat him today.
Then came the winner midway through the final frame, with Galiyev clinically completing a breakaway. CSKA’s Andrei Kuzmenko went close at the other end but his shot was off target and Tkachyov picked up the puck behind his own net. Tkachyov’s long pass found Danis Zaripov loitering with intent at the entrance to CSKA’s zone – the visitor claimed offside, the officials disagreed – and Galiyev joined his veteran team-mate to wrap up the play with the visiting defense hopelessly out of position. Delight for Ak Bars and an important winning start to a series in which CSKA is widely seen as the favorite.
The Army Men, however, can point to promising signs of their own. True, the team’s injury problems remain: neither defenseman Mat Robinson nor forward Kirill Kaprizov were ready in time for Saturday’s game. But CSKA showed early promise until its momentum was disrupted by a too many men penalty, and produced an impressive performance in the second period to bring the scores level.
The visitor created several presentable chance before Valery Nichushkin found the net in the 34th minute. He fired home from between the hash marks off an Alexander Popov feed, but the Army Men’s break away stemmed from two home players colliding in centre ice and opening up the rink for CSKA. At that stage, it began to feel like the fates my be conspiring against Ak Bars: Tkachyov and Rob Klinkhammer had missed great chances in the first period and CSKA was moving into ominous form. Even the talismanic Justin Azevedo was not riding to the rescue: his 11-game scoring streak came to an end here, with his line well-marshalled throughout the game. But Galiyev was determined to make this his day and produced the decisive moment 10 minutes from the end. Advantage Ak Bars – at least for now ...
Stanislav Galiyev, scorer of both Ak Bars goals
“The guys did great. Everyone played his part, we all battled and showed disciplined hockey. Now it just keeps getting harder. We need to be ready, keep playing our game and give it the full 60 minutes.
“For my second goal, I always knew exactly where Danis [Zaripov] was going to put the pass. Volodya Tkachyov gave a great feed for the first goal as well.
“We knew it wouldn’t be easy, we expected CSKA to be dangerous on the counter. We gave up a goal, but we never panicked. We pressured their defense, forced mistakes and in the end we got what we wanted.
“I’m really happy to be here at Ak Bars. The team is playing well, we’re in the Gagarin Cup Final. Now we need to make the dream come true and win that cup.”
Ak Bars forward Justin Azevedo, currently the leading scorer in this year’s playoffs
“We expected a tough game and we were prepared for it. We got two big goals and we all did our jobs, but things will be more difficult in the coming games.
“Jiri Sekac’s return from injury really helped our line, we felt that vital chemistry again. But CSKA was without Kaprizov and Robinson. They are good players, and they could cause us problems later.”
CSKA forward Andrei Kuzmenko
“We need to get more pucks to the net, get more shots away and pose more of an attacking threat. Unfortunately we couldn’t do that today, but we’ll work on it. We’ll sleep on it, think it over. The next game will be different.
“Of course it hurts that I couldn’t take my chance [seconds before the winning Ak Bars goal]. That might have changed the whole outcome of the game, but luck wasn’t with us today. Ak Bars created more offense and won the game.”
CSKA defenseman Bogdan Kiselevich
“We took two penalties for too many men, and that’s something we’ll have to look at ahead of the next game. It’s a matter of collective discipline. If we’re getting penalties like that, we have to sort it out.
“Our team is more than good enough. We already ready to do what’s needed. Of course, we’re sorry to be missing some big players, but we can’t worry about that. They are on their way back to fitness and we’re looking forward to having them back. Everything will be OK.”
Game 2 - April 16 - Ak Bars v CSKA 2-1
It’s an odd stat, but home ice victories for Ak Bars in the Gagarin Cup Final aren’t as common as you might expect for a team with two cup wins already in the record books. In three previous grand final appearances, Kazan had seen just three home wins for Ak Bars. Back-to-back wins, as seen at the start of this series, are unprecedented in the KHL era. With Zinetula Bilyaletdinov’s team historically even more impressive on the road, it might suggest that CSKA faces an even more challenging task than usual if it is to recover from 0-2 in the series. Monday’s victory in game two of the 2018 final was delivered with goals from Ak Bars’ two Canadian forwards. Justin Azevedo and Rob Klinkhammer have had contrasting seasons: the former has been in deadly form despite injury problems; the latter, fit throughout, collected Olympic bronze with team Canada but produced relatively modest returns in the KHL compared with his successful debut season at Dinamo Minsk. Today, though, he claimed the game-winner while Azevedo continued his post season plunder with his eighth goal and 22nd point of the playoffs.
For CSKA, meanwhile, there was encouragement thanks to the return from injury of Kirill Kaprizov. The young forward was listed on the fourth line but saw plenty of game time. Unfortunately for him and his team, he could not find the magic touch that has accompanied him for so much of this season; after a taste of Gagarin Cup Final action, he will hope to be fully up to speed when the teams get back to Moscow on Wednesday. As in the opening game of the series, Ak Bars was the first to settle and the home team took the lead through Justin Azevedo midway through the opening frame. The goal came on the power play, with Ak Bars enjoying a 5-on-3 advantage when Danis Zaripov’s pass found Azevedo at the top of the right-hand circle and his powerful shot flashed past Ilya Sorokin’s glove.
The duel between Klinkhammer and Kiselevich was reprised in the second period. Ak Bars’ Canadian forward had already failed to convert a decent chance on the power play when he got another good look at Garipov’s net. Mikhail Glukhov’s drop feed presented Klinkhammer with the puck on the right-hand face-off dot, and the former Dinamo Minsk man zinged home a wrister that evaded Kiselevich’s attempts to shut down the shooting lane and flashed inside the top corner. Klinkhammer, denied by the piping in the opening game, can also deliver when the stakes are high.
The home team believed it had extended its lead early in the third period, but Danis Zaripov saw his attempt ruled out for a kicking motion. Zaripov chased down a rebound from the boards, but fanned his initial backhand shot. Sorokin padded the puck away and the forward forced home the rebound but the video suggested he sidefooted the disc into the net, soccer-style, and the goal was disallowed. Neither side would come as close again. Ak Bars defended cautiously but effectively; CSKA, unable to call a time-out after unsuccessfully challenging Klinkhammer’s goal, could not find the creative spark to change the game. With a travel day ahead before the Army Men continue the series on home ice, Igor Nikitin and his team will be eager to find a way to break down this effective Ak Bars rearguard and get back into this series.
Ak Bars took a 2-0 lead in the Gagarin Cup Final series, defeating CSKA 2-1 for the second time in three days. After the game, players from both sides shared their thoughts on the action. Alexei Potapov, Ak Bars forward
“In the locker room we were talking about how we needed to stick to our game plan. Danis Zaripov and Sanya Svitov were reminding everyone that we couldn’t look ahead, our task was to win today’s game.”
On his penalty seconds after Ak Bars took a 2-1 lead
“The guys watched the replay and they said it looked clean. Thankfully, everyone stood up on the penalty kill. It was really hard. You cannot imagine how your pulse races when you’re in the box. It’s crazy! “We’re a real team here. there’s a great relationship between everyone, the club management and the training staff have a really respectful relationship with everyone else. In the locker room, we’re all in one group, there are no little cliques, it’s a great atmosphere. I can go out with a specific job to do and focus on that completely.”
Rafael Batyrshin, Ak Bars defenseman
“In the past few seasons Ak Bars had problems seeing games through to the end. Now you can see how we’ve learned from that experience, the guys have learned from their mistakes, and we are able to bring home the wins.
“This CSKA team isn’t very different from the one I faced with Magnitogorsk in the 2016 final. The players have changed but the team is playing the same kind of hockey it showed under Dmitry Kvartalnov. I guess that’s how they like it. It’s always tough against CSKA. All their forwards are good skaters, they move well. You have to be consistent and disciplined against every player.
“Of course, experience of a Gagarin Cup Final helps. It’s easier playing here again, especially when it’s a tight game, compared to guys who have never been to a big final before.”
Albert Yarullin, Ak Bars defenseman
“Today was another tough game. Every error, every penalty counted. It wasn’t easy out there. Nothing is settled in this series. CSKA is the kind of team that could come back even from 0-3. We can’t afford to ease up, we have to go out and play our hockey in every game.”
Andrei Svetlakov, CSKA forward
“We didn’t get the start we wanted. We conceded first again, got back in the game then gave away a soft goal on the counter attack. In the end we couldn’t score, so we’ll have to try again. Kirill Kaprizov’s return gave us all a boost.
“Ak Bars plays a different type of hockey compared with SKA. We need to rebuild, we’re already in a new series.”
Igor Nikitin, head coach, CSKA
“It was a tough game, but we’ll come back stronger from it. We’ll get on with our preparations for the next one.
“I think our mistakes in the first period was down to nerves, because they were real schoolboy errors. After that, the guys got it together and played well. We just need to take our chances. We’re playing in the Gagarin Cup Final, against a well-organized opponent."
Game 3 - April 18 - CSKA v Ak Bars 3-2 OT
CSKA handed itself a priceless lifeline in this year’s Gagarin Cup Final, snatching an overtime victory to move within one game of Ak Bars. With the scores tied at 2-2 in regulation, Kirill Petrov’s second goal of the night earned the home team the win after 12 minutes of the extras. It was a moment to forget for Kazan’s defensive pairing of Atte Ohtamaa and Roman Manukhov: the pair got hopelessly tangled up when trying to bring the puck out of their zone. Alexander Popov was on to it in a flash and, as he fell to the ice, he managed to slip the puck to the unmarked Petrov who capitalized on his clear view of Emil Garipov’s net to fire home the winning goal. CSKA came into the game knowing that victory was a must. The stats already favored Ak Bars to go on and win the cup – on the four previous occasions that a team has won the first two games of the final, that team has taken home the hardware. The Army Men, though, were boosted by a return to home ice and also welcomed back defenseman Mat Robinson and forward Geoff Platt. CSKA also began the game at a high tempo, creating far more offense in the first period and taking a deserved lead through Petrov in the 14thminute.
Petrov, a former Ak Bars player, got on the end of an odd man rush after Ak Bars coughed up possession in the CSKA zone. The forward fired home a Mikhail Grigorenko feed and, for the first time in this series, CSKA was ahead in a game. However, Ak Bars has long been a master of the deadly counter-attack – and that served to slow the home team’s progress. Two goals in two minutes later in the opening frame turned the scoreline upside down. First, Manukhov’s superb defense-splitting pass sent play from end to end. Jiri Sekac collected the puck and fed Anton Lander for the tying goal. Then came Stanislav Galiyev’s latest contribution to this series as the Ak Bars power play punished CSKA again. Vladimir Tkachyov was the architect, advancing into the face-off circle as Galiyev’s movement distracted the home defense. The pass was precise and Galiyev, on the doorstep, applied a deft finish to make it 2-1 to the visitor. That took the Ak Bars forward to 10 goals in this year’s playoffs, making him the leading goalscorer of post season. Team-mate Justin Azevedo is the leading point-scorer with 22.
In a series where goals have been hard to come by, the pressure was firmly on CSKA. The two previous games had finished 2-1 and here, even though the home team had created more of the scoring opportunities, it was behind once again. In response, the Army Men cranked up the offense another gear. Even so, it took most of the second period for CSKA to get back on level terms. The home team dominated the play, outshooting Ak Bars 12-4, but found Garipov tough to crack in the visitor’s net. It wasn’t until the 39th minute that the Army Men found a way through. Alexei Marchenko’s shot took a deflection off Greg Scott’s stick, lifting the puck away from Garipov and into the net. The third period could not separate the teams. The best opportunities came early, with Petrov twice going close on the power play and Ak Bars failing to force the puck home after an Andrei Markov slapshot caused confusion on the home slot. As the clock ticked down, however, both teams became more cautious. Overtime beckoned. The extras began with Ak Bars on the front foot, and Sorokin had to be alert as chances came for Lander and Sekac early on. Gradually, though, CSKA posed more of an attacking threat and, when the chance came for Petrov, the Army Men seized the moment to bring the series back to life.Game three of the Gagarin Cup final brought the action back to Moscow – and CSKA enjoyed its first victory on home ice to close the gap on Ak Bars in the series. Here’s what the players thought about it.
Mat Robinson, CSKA defenseman
“It’s hard to compare this with the previous games because I didn’t play in them. CSKA played well, we showed the kind of character we haveto come from behind. We didn’t get many chances on the power play and one of those we threw away when we took a penalty ourselves.
“We had a lot of shots, but it was hard to score goals. We’ll keep working on that. The home crowd really lifts us, they drove us forward today. The hardest thing was to recover from 2-1 down.”
Vladimir Tkachyov, Ak Bars forward
“The winning goal was one of those things. It happens. It’s not great, but you can’t blame anyone. We need to be better at converting our chances. We hit the bar in overtime, that was the difference.
“CSKA is strong on defense, they started the game well with good pressure and decent movement. We recovered and maybe were a little bit unlucky in the end.”
Greg Scott, CSKA forward
“This was a really big game, and the team showed unbelievable character. I’ve got to respect all the guys. We showed guts, we all worked for a single goal. That’s how we won it.
“It’s a relief to score more than one goal in a game. In the playoffs, during each series you always need to adapt, to work on all aspects of your game. We’re thinking about every single match-up.”
Anton Lander, Ak Bars forward
“It was another even game, like the two we played in Kazan. It was a tought battle, but CSKA came out on top this time. We need to keep working. CSKA were much more aggressive on offense, they had more shots. We need to find better shooting lanes and create more threat around the net. Both sides worked hard today, but the luck went to Moscow.” 
Kirill Kaprizov, CSKA forward on his return to the team after injury
“I’m feeling fine. And, like I’ve said many times before, I’m not the only player on this team! The main thing to take from today’s game is that we won it. It doesn’t matter how we get the result, this is the playoffs, it doesn’t matter how you win.” 
Game 4 - April 20 - CSKA v Ak Bars 1-3
Ak Bars is just one step away from claiming its third Gagarin Cup following a 3-1 victory in Moscow. Two goals from Anton Lander and two points from Justin Azevedo led the way as the Kazan team claimed a 3-1 verdict on Friday night. Emil Garipov also impressed, making 40 saves as another fine display of counter-attacking hockey secured a vital win for Zinetula Bilyaletdinov’s men.
Ak Bars is just one step away from claiming its third Gagarin Cup following a 3-1 victory in Moscow. Two goals from Anton Lander and two points from Justin Azevedo led the way as the Kazan team claimed a 3-1 verdict on Friday night. Emil Garipov also impressed, making 40 saves as another fine display of counter-attacking hockey secured a vital win for Zinetula Bilyaletdinov’s men.
The team news wasn’t encouraging for CSKA, with forward Valery Nichushkin missing out while Ak Bars’ defenseman Vasily Tokranov returned to the visitor’s roster. But the early exchanges suggested that the Army Men were ready to build on Wednesday’s overtime win and battle right back into this series. After an early scare when Jiri Sekac sent the puck behind goalie Ilya Sorokin, only to see it float wide of the far post, the home team took the first-period initiative.
Andrei Svetlakov thought he’d opened the scoring in the 12th minute when he swooped to stuff the puck home after Ivan Telegin carved out a chance on the wraparound. The video review, however, found that Ak Bars goalie Emil Garipov had got his glove on top of the disk before the CSKA man got a stick to it; no goal. Almost immediately, though, CSKA got the chance to maintain that pressure on the power play, and Geoff Platt found himself well-placed in front of Garipov’s net but unable to beat the goalie.
Then came the counter punch. Ak Bars had created little but snatched the lead a minute before the intermission. Two passes, Atte Ohtamaa to Artyom Lukoyanov, then Lukoyanov to Azevedo, sprang a counter attack for the visitor; Azevedo, the leading scorer in post-season, post-season, was not about to spurn the chance for a characteristic finish from just inside the left-hand circle.
mAzevedo was involved again early in the second as Ak Bars doubled its lead. This time he emerged from behind the net to provide the feed for Lander to make it 2-0. But CSKA hit back immediately when Svetlakov scored 15 seconds later. Andrei Kuzmenko brought play into the Ak Bars zone, Telegin shot from the point and Svetlakov was on hand to gobble up a big rebound and put his team right back in the game. Home hopes of tying the game up were hampered by a penalty on Mikhail Naumenkov and the next big chance of the game fell to Ak Bars. A defensive mix-up sent Stanislav Galimov clean through on Sorokin’s net but the forward, in form earlier in the series, allowed the puck to get away from him and the chance went begging.
The third period followed a pattern seen frequently in this series. Ak Bars was content to cede much of the initiative to CSKA, relying on its powerful defense to close out the win. Once again, the tactic worked. There was an early scare on the penalty kill when Mikhail Grigorenko’s shot might have dropped kindly for either Kirill Kaprizov or Maxim Shalunov, but for much of the play Ak Bars was fairly comfortable. A spell of more than seven minutes without a whistle played into the visitor’s hands as the clock ran down with both sets of both sets of fans biting their nails. Finally, Lander put his second into the empty net in unusual style: hacking the puck clear from behind his own goal line, he watched as the disk rolled on its side up the ice, following a curved trajectory reminiscent of a curling stone as it just beat Mat Robinson’s despairing dive and hit the back of the net. Ak Bars could secure the title on home ice this Sunday when the teams go back to Tatarstan for game five of the series; CSKA must win to retain its hopes of lifting the cup for the first time.
Ak Bars moved to within one victory of lifting the Gagarin Cup thanks to a 3-1 success at CSKA on Friday. But after the game, players from both teams were adamant that this final series is far from over, even if it could all be wrapped up in Kazan. Anton Lander, forward, Ak Bars
“Today’s game was more draining that before. It was important that we got the first goal, that we managed to withstand the pressure CSKA generated in the first period. We played well and won the game even though we had a few silly penalties. We need to put that right before the next game.
“We’re just focusing on each individual game and trying not to worry about the score in the series. The series is still going. I can’t say if we’ll wrap it up in five games, we can’t think about that right now. We need to go home, calm down and get ready for Sunday’s game. We still haven’t won anything, to win the Gagarin Cup we need to win four games. Everything is possible, and nothing is decided yet. CSKA is the strongest team we’ve faced in these playoffs. They’ve really played well in every game, it’s always finished with a tight scoreline.
“Azevedo’s pass [for my first goal was just incredible. He set it up perfectly with the backhand and all I had to do was put it in the net.”
Ivan Telegin, forward, CSKA
“I don’t think the disallowed goal had any impact on our game. We need to keep working and play on. We’re not here to be whipping boys, we have to keep battling in every game regardless of the score in the series. This is the Gagarin Cup Final and we have to play every game like it’s our last. “Kazan is taking its chances on the counter attack. We’re struggling to maintain our tempo and getting caught. We have to stop doing that. What’s missing on our power play? Goals.”
Rob Klinkhammer, forward, Ak Bars
“Today it felt like we had more energy than they did. CSKA has a great team, they’re dangerous, every game has been tight and one goal has decided. Now we just need to win the next one. Of course, it doesn’t matter to us where we win the cup. We just need to win one more game, it doesn’t matter where it is. I’ve never won a championship before and it would be great to do that on home ice. But we need to play our best hockey.”
Sergei Andronov, forward, CSKA
“I don’t think today’s game was all that different from the others. It just turned out that we lost. We need to work for the full 60 minutes and take the chances that we are creating. We’re up against a good team, that’s why we’ve only scored six goals in four games. We’re also playing well on offense but we’re not quite taking those chances. We’ll fly to Kazan in a good mood. It takes four games to win the series and nothing is decided yet.”
Alexei Marchenko, defenseman, CSKA
“We started well in the first period, had a couple of power plays, but we have to take advantage of that. We just couldn’t get the goals we needed.
“Now, however you slice it, we have to win three games. Even if we’d tied up the series tonight, we’d still be needing more wins. I think we can come back from 1-3 down. I can’t say if the team will be closer now our backs are against the wall. I guess we’ll find out on Sunday.”
Alexander Burmistrov, forward, Ak Bars
“It was a typical game for this series. All four have been similar. I wouldn’t say it was harder in Moscow than in Kazan. Both teams are really battling for the wins. I’m not the only one for whom winning the cup would be extra special, we have several guys who haven’t won before. “It was important that we recovered after losing last time. We came into a new game, forgot about what went wrong, and got on with our jobs. In particular, we were strong on the PK today.”
Artyom Lukoyanov, forward, Ak Bars
“The game started a bit like the others. We took some silly penalties, they got the power plays and took the initiative. But on the PK we played flawlessly, we blocked their shots and read the game well. Luckily we got some chances and took them. That first goal was like a breath of fresh air. In the second period, everyone had chances and we exchanged counter attacks. In the third, we were calm. We knew we had to hold on. I’d like to thank our fans for the noise they made: it felt like we were playing at home.”
Game 5 - April 22 - Ak Bars v CSKA 1-0
Ak Bars wrote its name into the history books with its third Gagarin Cup triumph. Fittingly, in this 10th anniversary season, the biggest prize went back to the first time to lift the cup, while the Kazan team’s success puts out in front of the competition. No other team has won it all more than twice; head coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov claimed his third triumph to move level with Oleg Znarok (Dynamo and SKA) as the most successful KHL coach. More impressive still, Danis Zaripov collects his fifth prize. The forward was part of Kazan’s first two title-winning rosters, then picked up two more titles at Metallurg Magnitogorsk before returning to Ak Bars this season for yet another success. Statistically, simply having him at your club gives you a 50% chance of winning the big prize. But the plaudits in this decisive game belonged to two men: goalie Emil Garipov and forward Rob Klinkhammer. Garipov’s defiant display in the face of intense CSKA pressure kept his team in with a chance; he made 33 saves for his second shut-out of this year’s playoffs. Klinkhammer’s clinical finish when a power play early in the third period gave Ak Bars a rare opportunity opportunity to exert some pressure of its own broke the deadlock and set Gagarin on his way back to Tatarstan.
Ak Bars wrote its name into the history books with its third Gagarin Cup triumph. Fittingly, in this 10th anniversary season, the biggest prize went back to the first time to lift the cup, while the Kazan team’s success puts out in front of the competition. No other team has won it all more than twice; head coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov claimed his third triumph to move level with Oleg Znarok (Dynamo and SKA) as the most successful KHL coach. More impressive still, Danis Zaripov collects his fifth prize. The forward was part of Kazan’s first two title-winning rosters, then picked up two more titles at Metallurg Magnitogorsk before returning to Ak Bars this season for yet another success. Statistically, simply having him at your club gives you a 50% chance of winning the big prize. But the plaudits in this decisive game belonged to two men: goalie Emil Garipov and forward Rob Klinkhammer. Garipov’s defiant display in the face of intense CSKA pressure kept his team in with a chance; he made 33 saves for his second shut-out of this year’s playoffs. Klinkhammer’s clinical finish when a power play early in the third period gave Ak Bars a rare opportunity opportunity to exert some pressure of its own broke the deadlock and set Gagarin on his way back to Tatarstan.
The goal came 66 seconds into the final frame. Ak Bars had finished the second period strongly, and Mikhail Pashnin’s penalty carried over the intermission. That set the stage for the home team, and the power play did not fluff its lines. Vasily Tokranov, Kazan’s most productive defenseman this season, exchanged passes with Anton Lander; the Swede slung the puck into the danger zone from the right circle and Klinkhammer got in front of Mat Robinson to put his stick down and deflect the disk past Lars Johansson. There was a moment of anxiety when CSKA appealed, believing the Canadian forward’s skate had strayed into Johansson’s crease, but the video confirmed that the goal was good. Cue delirium for most of the home crowd. Last time the Tatneft Arena hosted a Gagarin Cup Final Game Five, the home fans came more in hope than expectation. On that occasion, in 2015, Ak Bars trailed 1-3 in its series with SKA and, despite loud statements of defiance before the face-off, the Petersburg club romped to a 6-1 victory on the day to lift the cup for the first time.
Today, though, things were very different. A sell-out 8,890 crowd came in anticipation of seeing their heroes crowned Gagarin Cup Winner for the third time in 10 seasons. However, CSKA had no intention of giving up its dream of landing a first ever KHL triumph and the stage was set for another tense encounter in a series where goals have been hard to come by. The opening stanza saw the Army Men once again seek to strangle the Kazan offense. Ak Bars mustered just three shots on Johansson’s net – the Swede preferred to Ilya Sorokin, just as he was the for the crucial games in the Western Conference final against SKA. However, the home team has been solid at the back throughout this series and did a good job of keeping CSKA on the outside despite ceding much of the possession. Much of Ak Bars’ success thus far has stemmed from its penalty kill: in Friday’s 3-1 win in Moscow, the team survived five CSKA power plays, and it blanked the Army Men once again late in the first period when Albert Yarullin was sent to the box. It wasn’t quite a flawless PK – Mikhail Grigorenko had a good look at Emil Garipov along the way – but it was good enough to ensure the game was goalless at the first intermission. The second period followed a similar pattern, right down to Yarullin spending time in the box and CSKA failing to capitalize. The visitor had its moments but could not make them count: Sergei Andronov and Kirill Petrov whipped up a storm on the slot but could not force the puck home; Mikhail Glukhov reacted smartly to take Andrei Svetlakov’s enticing feed away from the lurking Andrei Kuzmenko. The final moments of the second period finally saw Ak Bars bring its offense to the party. Zaripov had a shooting chance, Alexander Burmistrov looked to test Johansson and a delayed penalty against Pashnin gave the home team the chance to begin the third period in a similar vein and Klinkhammer took advantage. The Ak Bars goal put the game into a familiar situation: throughout this series, CSKA had generated more shots on Garipov’s net but found it hard to get the puck past the goaltender. The closing stages here were no exception. The Army Men wanted to get forward at every opportunity but found their pathways to goal barricaded by the green-jerseyed stalwarts of Kazan. Blocking seven shots to CSKA’s one in the final period summed up the difference: Ak Bars, as so often before, strangled the vitality out of the opposing offense, providing superb cover for Garipov to help him record his first shut-out of the cup final.
For CSKA, defeated at this stage for the second time in three seasons, the wait for a trophy goes on. The most-titled club in the game has not lifted its country’s top prize since the Soviet era, a drought almost as long as its one-time dominance. But in Kazan the celebrations could begin in earnest – a worthy champion for the third time in 10 seasons.
For CSKA, defeated at this stage for the second time in three seasons, the wait for a trophy goes on. The most-titled club in the game has not lifted its country’s top prize since the Soviet era, a drought almost as long as its one-time dominance. But in Kazan the celebrations could begin in earnest – a worthy champion for the third time in 10 seasons.
After Ak Bars secured its Gagarin Cup triumph with Sunday’s 1-0 victory over CSKA, players from the Kazan team spoke about what it meant to them. Meanwhile, CSKA’s players reflected on what went wrong for the team after losing the Gagarin Cup final 4-1. Danis Zaripov, five-time Gagarin Cup winner
“The feeling is the same after every victory – it’s the best feeling in the world. You can’t compare it to anything else. Every season, we start by trying to win it all. And, once again, that’s what we’ve done.
“It was a very unpleasant situation for me at the start of the season [when Zaripov was serving a ban for doping offenses]. It’s a relief that we could get out of that, win justice and finish the season on a successful note.
“This series against CSKA wasn’t easy, even if we won it in five games. Look at the games – every one decided by a single goal. Somehow our talent, our experience and a bit of luck helped us.
“I think after Kazan won it three times, the directors might have to think about renaming the Gagarin Cup as the Tatar Cup! As for me, the fifth cup is no heavier than all the others; the only differences is the names that were added since last time!”
Emil Garipov, goalie, Ak Bars
“It was a bit easier playing in the final than it was in the earlier rounds, because we knew it was the final. Psychologically it wasn’t so hard, the main thing was just to play our best hockey. And, thank God, I did that in the final series. Of course, it’s physically draining, but we prepared for that all season. That gave us the strength and fitness we needed.
“I didn’t have to prove anything to anyone, I just wanted to win the cup with my home team. I’ve always dreamed of winning the cup with Ak Bars, and we’ve done it. I’m a Tatar. I was born in Kazan and I’ve always lived here, and now I’ve won the cup here.”
Stanislav Galiyev, forward, Ak Bars
“I don’t want to talk about individuals in these playoffs. I just love playoff hockey, it’s another game and for me it feels different. Maybe I got a bit more confidence, but that’s thanks to my line-mates who did everything for me. I was just left to take my chances.
“I’m really glad I came back to Russia and I’m delighted to be here in Kazan. Now, God willing, we’ll see Washington follow us and win their cup in a couple of months. I’ll be following their progress.”
Andrei Markov, defenseman, Ak Bars
“Right now it’s a mix of happiness and exhaustion. It’s been a long, hard season, everything we’ve worked for pointed towards this moment. I’d like to congratulate everyone involved with the team. I’m sure everyone in this town is happy tonight.
“Can Ak Bars win it again? Let’s celebrate this one first and get our breath back! In Kazan there’s only ever one target – win the cup. We’ll recover from this season then we need to start thinking about how to prepare for the next one.
“Zaripov’s a unique player. Winning it five times is a huge achievement. The league has only been going 10 years, and he’s won the cup five times. I’m really happy for him. I hope today we can celebrate with the whole city.”
Zinetula Bilyaletdinov, head coach, Ak Bars
“I would highlight our whole team. Of course, everyone played to his level but they all came together to complete one task. It was a great effort, I can’t criticize anybody, my tongue wouldn’t let me. Every player worked honestly, some scored, others defended but the whole team worked as one. They’re great guys, and I’m thrilled for them.
“Garipov did really will. It’s a big thing for him, showing that he can overcome himself. He has had his difficulties in the past but he found the answers and found a way to win. First and foremost, he proved that he can play at a high level and win.”
Dmitry Chernyshenko, KHL president
“The final produced a surprise result – almost everyone was expecting an easy win for CSKA. Maybe on behalf of the league I’d have liked more games in the final, but the main thing is that this result sets up a real celebration here in Tatarstan.
“Next season will be very interesting, we’re moving into a new era. Our star players will be more evenly shared among the clubs and we will see more young players emerging. We’ve already heard about the plans that CSKA and SKA have to bring more youngsters into their rosters in the coming campaign.”
Sergei Andronov, forward, CSKA
“What can I say? It’s really disappointing how it all turned out. Right now it’s hard to say anything. Unfortunately, we need to face the truth and understand that we lost the final because we didn’t do the right things. We tried to play on the front foot, we weren’t interested in playing defensively, but we failed to take our chances. It’s impossible to win if you don’t score goals.”
Andrei Kuzmenko, forward, CSKA
“Right after the game it’s hard to think about the whole series. But if you take a moment, it’s clear that in every game we made costly mistakes. Ak Bars punished us for that. They have an experienced team and I think that played a part. We couldn’t capitalize on their mistakes. I wouldn’t say it was all down to our power play. Ak Bars didn’t score a lot on the power play either. In the playoffs, the opposition studies your every step. It’s really tough to come up with something new.
“We need to take a little time to understand this season and work out whether we did well or badly. Our game was decent, but we couldn’t win the Gagarin Cup. Ak Bars had a stronger defense. We’ve seen this for so many years, since Bilyaletdinov first introduced those tactics, and year after year they do the same things. SKA was more committed to attack, that was the only difference. I guess that helped CSKA in the Conference Final, I don’t think beating SKA took too much out of us.”
Justin Azevedo, forward, Ak Bars and playoff MVP
“It’s just unbelievable! We’ve been through so much, it’s been tough, but right now we’re so happy that we won the cup. Being named as MVP [the first time a foreign player has won the award] doesn’t mean much right now. We won it all!”
“The feeling is the same after every victory – it’s the best feeling in the world. You can’t compare it to anything else. Every season, we start by trying to win it all. And, once again, that’s what we’ve done.
“It was a very unpleasant situation for me at the start of the season [when Zaripov was serving a ban for doping offenses]. It’s a relief that we could get out of that, win justice and finish the season on a successful note.
“This series against CSKA wasn’t easy, even if we won it in five games. Look at the games – every one decided by a single goal. Somehow our talent, our experience and a bit of luck helped us.
“I think after Kazan won it three times, the directors might have to think about renaming the Gagarin Cup as the Tatar Cup! As for me, the fifth cup is no heavier than all the others; the only differences is the names that were added since last time!”
Danis Zaripov.
Emil Garipov, goalie, Ak Bars
“It was a bit easier playing in the final than it was in the earlier rounds, because we knew it was the final. Psychologically it wasn’t so hard, the main thing was just to play our best hockey. And, thank God, I did that in the final series. Of course, it’s physically draining, but we prepared for that all season. That gave us the strength and fitness we needed.
“I didn’t have to prove anything to anyone, I just wanted to win the cup with my home team. I’ve always dreamed of winning the cup with Ak Bars, and we’ve done it. I’m a Tatar. I was born in Kazan and I’ve always lived here, and now I’ve won the cup here.”
Emil Garipov.
Stanislav Galiyev, forward, Ak Bars
“I don’t want to talk about individuals in these playoffs. I just love playoff hockey, it’s another game and for me it feels different. Maybe I got a bit more confidence, but that’s thanks to my line-mates who did everything for me. I was just left to take my chances.
“I’m really glad I came back to Russia and I’m delighted to be here in Kazan. Now, God willing, we’ll see Washington follow us and win their cup in a couple of months. I’ll be following their progress.”
Andrei Markov, defenseman, Ak Bars
“Right now it’s a mix of happiness and exhaustion. It’s been a long, hard season, everything we’ve worked for pointed towards this moment. I’d like to congratulate everyone involved with the team. I’m sure everyone in this town is happy tonight.
“Can Ak Bars win it again? Let’s celebrate this one first and get our breath back! In Kazan there’s only ever one target – win the cup. We’ll recover from this season then we need to start thinking about how to prepare for the next one.
“Zaripov’s a unique player. Winning it five times is a huge achievement. The league has only been going 10 years, and he’s won the cup five times. I’m really happy for him. I hope today we can celebrate with the whole city.”
Zinetula Bilyaletdinov, head coach, Ak Bars
“I would highlight our whole team. Of course, everyone played to his level but they all came together to complete one task. It was a great effort, I can’t criticize anybody, my tongue wouldn’t let me. Every player worked honestly, some scored, others defended but the whole team worked as one. They’re great guys, and I’m thrilled for them.
“Garipov did really will. It’s a big thing for him, showing that he can overcome himself. He has had his difficulties in the past but he found the answers and found a way to win. First and foremost, he proved that he can play at a high level and win.”
Zinetula Bilyaletdinov.
Dmitry Chernyshenko, KHL president
“The final produced a surprise result – almost everyone was expecting an easy win for CSKA. Maybe on behalf of the league I’d have liked more games in the final, but the main thing is that this result sets up a real celebration here in Tatarstan.
“Next season will be very interesting, we’re moving into a new era. Our star players will be more evenly shared among the clubs and we will see more young players emerging. We’ve already heard about the plans that CSKA and SKA have to bring more youngsters into their rosters in the coming campaign.”
Dmitry Chernyshenko, Zinetula Bilyaletdinov.
Sergei Andronov, forward, CSKA
“What can I say? It’s really disappointing how it all turned out. Right now it’s hard to say anything. Unfortunately, we need to face the truth and understand that we lost the final because we didn’t do the right things. We tried to play on the front foot, we weren’t interested in playing defensively, but we failed to take our chances. It’s impossible to win if you don’t score goals.”
Emil Garipov, Sergei Andronov.
Andrei Kuzmenko, forward, CSKA
“Right after the game it’s hard to think about the whole series. But if you take a moment, it’s clear that in every game we made costly mistakes. Ak Bars punished us for that. They have an experienced team and I think that played a part. We couldn’t capitalize on their mistakes. I wouldn’t say it was all down to our power play. Ak Bars didn’t score a lot on the power play either. In the playoffs, the opposition studies your every step. It’s really tough to come up with something new.
“We need to take a little time to understand this season and work out whether we did well or badly. Our game was decent, but we couldn’t win the Gagarin Cup. Ak Bars had a stronger defense. We’ve seen this for so many years, since Bilyaletdinov first introduced those tactics, and year after year they do the same things. SKA was more committed to attack, that was the only difference. I guess that helped CSKA in the Conference Final, I don’t think beating SKA took too much out of us.”
Ak Bars - CSKA.
Justin Azevedo, forward, Ak Bars and playoff MVP
“It’s just unbelievable! We’ve been through so much, it’s been tough, but right now we’re so happy that we won the cup. Being named as MVP [the first time a foreign player has won the award] doesn’t mean much right now. We won it all!”
The 10th anniversary season of the Kontinental Hockey League reached its climax on Sunday in Kazan, when Ak Bars won its fourth and decisive victory in the final series, thus clinching a 4-1 win over CSKA Moscow and becoming a three-time winner of the Gagarin Cup – an achievement unmatched in the KHL. After the hooter signalled the end of the game, KHL President Dmitry Chernyshenko shared his thoughts on the League's jubilee season and congratulated the Kazan club on its victory. - We had a wonderful final, and it is fitting that we had sent the puck and a replica of the trophy on a journey into space. This was a fascinating, action-packed season, which included our first ever open-air games, in Helsinki and Riga, two epic seven-match series in the Gagarin Cup playoffs, and some unexpected names qualifying for the knockout stage.
There were many new breakthroughs and many, many brilliant moments that will linger long in the memory. The final turned out to be another surprise,considering so few correctly predicted the eventual winner. Nevertheless, this is why we love our great game so much - for its unpredictable nature, even though the best team always wins in the end. As a result, the spectators, viewers, and all the fans can be considered winners, too, as it is they who benefit greatly from the drama. Of course, it is surprising to some that, after eight years, the trophy has returned to Tatarstan. The whole Republic is now rejoicing, and no wonder - becoming the only club in the League to have won three Gagarin Cups is cause for great celebration. Ak Bars fully deserved this moment of glory, and we should also thank and praise the fans in Kazan. If only every hockey match at every arena had so many parents and children with such a passion for the game. They created just the kind of special atmosphere we need, and we congratulate every one of them!
Of course, from a commercial and marketing point of view, we would have happier if the final series had continued so that we could all enjoy the full seven games. However, here in Tatarstan everyone was cheering for a swift victory. The opponent in the final, CSKA, is the club whose players provided the backbone of our heroic gold-medal winning roster at the 2018 Winter Olympics, and they made a great contribution to the prestige of our country. CSKA tried its hardest to win, and the players battled courageously. You can see how much respect the opponent has earned from these wonderful fans here at the stadium. Being a gracious winner is also something to be extremely proud of, and it sets a fine example to others. Once again, many thanks to Kazan.
The next season will be an interesting one, as we are entering an era of facing new realities. We will have financial fair play, three clubs are currently undergoing a financial audit, and we will be gradually lowering the wages cap. This will lead to a more even distribution of star players among the clubs and throughout the League. It will raise the level of competition and attract more youngsters. You will see this come true, and I hope you remember my words. The game will become even more exciting.
There were many new breakthroughs and many, many brilliant moments that will linger long in the memory. The final turned out to be another surprise,considering so few correctly predicted the eventual winner. Nevertheless, this is why we love our great game so much - for its unpredictable nature, even though the best team always wins in the end. As a result, the spectators, viewers, and all the fans can be considered winners, too, as it is they who benefit greatly from the drama. Of course, it is surprising to some that, after eight years, the trophy has returned to Tatarstan. The whole Republic is now rejoicing, and no wonder - becoming the only club in the League to have won three Gagarin Cups is cause for great celebration. Ak Bars fully deserved this moment of glory, and we should also thank and praise the fans in Kazan. If only every hockey match at every arena had so many parents and children with such a passion for the game. They created just the kind of special atmosphere we need, and we congratulate every one of them!
Ak Bars - Gagarin Cup winner. Photo by Vladimir Bezzubov
Of course, from a commercial and marketing point of view, we would have happier if the final series had continued so that we could all enjoy the full seven games. However, here in Tatarstan everyone was cheering for a swift victory. The opponent in the final, CSKA, is the club whose players provided the backbone of our heroic gold-medal winning roster at the 2018 Winter Olympics, and they made a great contribution to the prestige of our country. CSKA tried its hardest to win, and the players battled courageously. You can see how much respect the opponent has earned from these wonderful fans here at the stadium. Being a gracious winner is also something to be extremely proud of, and it sets a fine example to others. Once again, many thanks to Kazan.
The next season will be an interesting one, as we are entering an era of facing new realities. We will have financial fair play, three clubs are currently undergoing a financial audit, and we will be gradually lowering the wages cap. This will lead to a more even distribution of star players among the clubs and throughout the League. It will raise the level of competition and attract more youngsters. You will see this come true, and I hope you remember my words. The game will become even more exciting.
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