KHL - Playoffs WCF - CSKA Moscow (1) SKA St. Petersburg (6)

Series Preview
(1) CSKA Moscow vs (6) SKA St. Petersburg
We’ve been here before: the Army clubs met at this stage last season – and produced one of the most sensational series we’ve ever seen. CSKA, then as now the regular season champ, powered into a 3-0 lead and seemed set to roll into its first Gagarin Cup final. But SKA had other ideas. Ilya Kovalchuk raised his game after criticism for some lackluster playoff showings, the Panarin-Dadonov-Shipachyov line found some blistering form and the Petersburg team unleashed a whirlwind to recover the series and, ultimately, win it all.
No team before or since has overturned a 0-3 deficit in Russian playoff hockey: it’s hard to imagine either will manage to dominate the first three games this time around.

Mursak out, Kugryshev in

CSKA goes into the series without the services of Slovenian forward Jan Mursak, who is struggling with an injury. But there’s likely to be a return to the ice for Dmitry Kugryshev. The former Sibir forward played a big role in regular season, but has skated in just three playoff games so far. However, according to head coach Dmitry Kvartalnov, that’s not a question of form or fitness. Instead he sat out most of the series against Torpedo for tactical reasons. Against SKA, with a different type of battle ahead, Kugryshev is likely to play a far greater role.

The balance of power play

Throughout the season, CSKA’s penalty kill has been among the best in the KHL. With an 89.6% survival rate in post season and two short-handed goals scored, it’s the best of the teams still in contention. But SKA’s power play has also been a revelation. Against Dynamo it was lethal, with 11 of the team’s 16 goals in the series coming when the team had a numerical advantage. That took the overall conversion rate to a daunting 34%. CSKA, then, seems to have two options: avoid giving up penalties, which will surely be punished, or focus hard on restraining SKA’s rampant special teams. Unlike Dynamo and Lokomotiv in the earlier rounds, CSKA is a team far more inclined to fight hard for possession of the puck even in neutral areas, rather than allowing the opposition to dictate the play and wait for errors. That could prove crucial in taming Sergei Zubov’s offense.

Gusev – the new Panarin?

Last year’s famous comeback win owed much to the efforts of Artemy Panarin and his deadly partnership with Vadim Shipachyov and Evgeny Dadonov. Replacing Panarin was difficult, but the signing of Nikita Gusev from Ugra Khanty-Mansiysk during the season has gone a long way to plugging that void.

The 23-year-old doesn’t entirely emulate Panarin’s stick-handling skills but he definitely matches the Black Hawks rookie in his reading of the game and his ability to pick out the killer play. Gusev has slotted in nicely alongside Shipachyov and Dadonov, and that line is bossing the post-season scoring [in the West] this time around. Gusev’s playoff tally is up to 14 (5+9) points; the troika has 39 points between them.

The case for the defense

In regular season SKA’s weakness seemed to be in defense. Of all the teams to reach the Western Conference playoff, the defending champion had the worst record for goals allowed. But in post-season the blue-liners, and goalie Mikko Koskinen, have stepped up. The arrival of Slava Voynov, a Stanley Cup winner in LA, made a huge difference. Whatever his problems off the ice, the 26-year-old graduate of the Traktor set-up has become steadily more influential as he settled into his new role. Now he’s part of a back line that has helped Koskinen produce five shut-outs in post season, a marked improvement on what came before. The Finn has seen his save percentage shoot up to 95.2%, while his GAA tumbled from 2.42 to 1.39 in the games against Lokomotiv and Dynamo.

Game 1 - Tuesday, March 22
(1) CSKA Moscow 3 (6) SKA St. Petersburg 0 CSKA leads the series 1-0
CSKA’s defense found a way to stop SKA and lead the home team to a vital opening-game win. Faced with taming SKA’s rampant forwards, and especially countering its devastating power play, the home team did superbly. SKA managed just five shots on Ilya Sorokin in the first period, and CSKA gave away just one penalty when Radulov was hit with a slashing charge on 18:53. In the middle session SKA had just two further attempts in the first 10 minutes before forcing a 5-on-3 power play for over a minute as first Radulov then Mikhail Naumenkov were sin-binned. Once again the PK did its job, limiting the visitor to just three more opportunities to test Sorokin. Even in the third period, when SKA raised its game on offense, firing in 12 shots, CSKA held firm. Sorokin proved unbeatable, even denying Evgeny Dadonov from a penalty shot in the 53rd minute. Sorokin ultimately made 27 saves on the night to record his second shut-out of the playoffs.
It was also a big night for Roman Lyubimov, a 23-year-old who is developing a taste for play-off hockey. Lyubimov isn’t the most illustrious name on CSKA’s roster, where he competes for ice time against big-hitters like Alexander Radulov, Stephane da Costa, Geoff Platt or Antti Pihlstrom. But he made it three goals in three games to help the Army Men get off to a winning start against SKA in the Western Conference final. Lyubimov opened the scoring midway through the first period as SKA failed to clear its lines. The puck dropped for Ivan Telegin, who shot into Mikko Koskinen’s pads. The Finn managed to block Lyubimov’s first effort on the rebound, but could do nothing about the second as the forward forced the puck home from close range. The second goal came at the midway point of the game. Da Costa was the scorer, and he did all himself. First he stretched to keep the puck in the SKA zone when he had no right to reach it. Then, under pressure from Evgeny Ketov he brought play into a central position in the deep slot before, while struggling to keep his balance, he got off a wrister that flew past the startled Koskinen. Deep into the third period Dmitry Kugryshev got his first of the post-season, finding the empty net off a Lyubimov assist as SKA’s final gamble came up short. SKA’s offense has mis-fired before in this post-season: humbled 4-0 at home by Dynamo in game three of the previous series, Sergei Zubov’s men responded in kind with 4-0 and 4-1 victories to book a passage to this Army showdown. Now the team must return on Thursday and demonstrate that tonight’s struggle is merely blip, rather than a performance that sets the tone for the rest of the series.

Game 2 - Thursday, March 24
(1) CSKA Moscow 3 (6) SKA St. Petersburg 2 CSKA leads the series 2-0
For the second game running CSKA found a way to silence SKA’s prolific first line and spike its power play guns, eking out a tight verdict to take a 2-0 series lead north to St. Petersburg on Saturday. Geoff Platt scored twice and Alexander Radulov got the game-winner and an assist in a 3-2 success that owed much to disciplined defense denying the defending champions, and its deadly troika of Shipachyov, Dadonov and Gusev, many good looks at Ilya Sorokin’s net.

Even so, the host had to come from behind twice before winning on Radulov’s power play goal in the 57th minute. Radulov celebrated extravagantly after shooting from distance and beating Mikko Koskinen but in truth the goal owed much to the inadvertent contribution of D-man Anton Belov. The puck got caught up in his skates and diverted into the net to settle the outcome.

But if Radulov rode his luck for that goal, his contribution to Platt’s second of the night was of the highest quality. Pace took him away from the defense and round the back of the net; precision saw him find Platt unguarded in front of the net and Canadian-born forward needed no second invitation as the D-men struggled to get back into position. That sudden flurry of goals was somewhat out of context with much of what had come before. The teams offered each other little room to play in a cagey first stanza but the second period saw SKA take the lead. The goal came slightly against the run of play: CSKA was doing at good job of limiting its opponent’s looks at Sorokin’s net until Slava Voynov found Moses at the bottom of the circle. The American forward still had plenty to do, collecting the puck from behind himself and turning to fire a low wrister that squeezed through the goalie’s pads.

Late in the middle session CSKA thought it had tied the game when Ivan Telegin beat Mikko Koskinen. The on-ice official was quick to indicate a goal but as the home team celebrated, SKA’s bench asked for a second look to confirm whether there was any infringement on to the crease. The footage showed that Kirill Petrov had encroached on the paint and the SKA’s lead remained intact.

However, it did not take long for the home team to level the scores in the third as Platt scored a power play goal. Nikita Zaitsev did well to keep play in SKA’s zone and find Stephane da Costa. The Frenchman’s shot was blocked, but Platt reacted first to score at the second attempt.

Moments later Evgeny Korotkov was helped off the ice with an injury and CSKA found itself shorthanded as the game’s momentum seemed to be tipping back towards SKA. That sense was underlined when a misjudgement from Sorokin helped SKA regain the lead with a shorthanded goal. There seemed to be little danger when the goalie went behind the net but his clearance lacked conviction and dropped for Alexander Dergachyov to fire in a shot from a tight angle. Sorokin did well to recover and block the initial effort but could do nothing as Jarno Koskiranta looped the rebound over his sprawling body and into the net.

CSKA found the way back though and, just like this time last year, holds an imposing lead in the series. More significantly, perhaps, SKA’s top line has yet to score in this series and the Muscovites have been flawless on the PK. But after SKA recovered from 0-3 to win last season’s Western Conference final it is too early to call the outcome this time around.

Game 3 - Saturday, March 26
(6) SKA St. Petersburg 0 (1) CSKA Moscow 1 (3OT) 
CSKA leads the series 3-0
Goaltenders were on top in Game 3 of the Western Conference final, where it took a goal in triple overtime from Geoff Platt to settle the longest game of this season and give CSKA a 1-0 victory. Platt stopped the clock on 111:12 when he chased down a puck from Simon Hjalmarsson in the corner and battled his way to the slot where he finally managed to score on Mikko Koskinen at his team’s 51st attempt. That was enough to settle an epic, hard-fought encounter, and put CSKA 3-0 up in the conference final. We’ve been here before, of course: a year ago the same teams generated the same scoreline at the same stage of the competition, only for SKA to produce an unprecedented fightback to win the series and eventually go on to lift the Gagarin Cup.

For more than 100 minutes neither team could solve the opposing goalie: CSKA’s Ilya Sorokin made 52 saves while Mikko Koskinen turned away 50 shots at the other end before he finally succumbed. Chances came as the teams tired in the second period of overtime: Pavel Buchnevich clipped the outside of Sorokin’s post after 90 minutes of play; a SKA power play soon afterwards saw opportunities for Nikita Gusev and Evgeny Dadonov but, unlike in earlier games in post season, the puck just would not go in. CSKA, meanwhile, worked a breakaway through Alexander Radulov, but his pass fell awkwardly for Nikita Zaitsev where, in happier times, it would drop perfectly onto his colleague’s stick to present a shooting chance.

Behind 0-2 in the series, the pressure on SKA to get moving in the series was intense. Yet there were two key factors in SKA’s failure to seize the initiative on home ice. Firstly, CSKA worked incredibly hard to close down the Petersburg team’s top line, limiting it to just six shots on target in regulation. The best of those opportunities fell to Dadonov, but where previous efforts have been down to the slick interchange between him, Gusev and Vadim Shipachyov, this one was a rare case of a solo effort. Dadonov used his pace and stick handling to weave his way through CSKA’s defense single-handed, but his shot could only find the pads of Ilya Sorokin.

The other big issue was the neutralization of SKA’s power play. Previously deadly in this post season, the Petersburg team has yet to score with a man advantage in the series against CSKA. Dmitry Kvartalnov’s team has stuck to a few core principles: keep a tight shape in front of the net, force the opposition to keep moving the puck around in search of a player moving out of position and wait for an error on offense. It’s a high risk waiting game, but by the end of regulation time it was enough to leave SKA at 0 from 15 on the power play in this series and shut out a prolific offense for two games – almost three in terms of playing time – out of three.

That huge defensive effort had an impact on what CSKA could generate on offense. Platt, a double goalscorer in Thursday’s 3-2 victory, did not have a single shot in the initial 60 minutes and throughout the team there were fewer chances until the game got into overtime. But as time wore on SKA seemed to tire faster than its opponent and Platt was able, at last to take advantage. Now CSKA is poised to complete the task that defeated it 12 months ago, unless SKA can produce a repeat miracle.

Game 4 - Monday, March 28(6) SKA St. Petersburg 1 (1) CSKA Moscow 2 (1OT) 
CSKA wins the series 4-0
There was overtime once again, but tonight it took a matter of seconds to settle both the game and the series in CSKA’s favor. After a 1-1 tie regulation, the Moscow team claimed victory on 61:02 thanks to a goal from Sergei Andronov, ending SKA’s hopes of repeating last year’s epic fightback and sending the most titled club team in world hockey to its first ever Gagarin Cup final.

The goal came after SKA made a blistering start to overtime. Evgeny Dadonov, Maxim Chudinov and Pavel Buchnevich all forced saves out of Ilya Sorokin in the first minute as CSKA wobbled under the intensity of the home team’s determination to save the game. But then came the sucker punch. Nikita Zaitsev played a speculative pass for Andronov to chase as CSKA cleared its lines. The puck bounced off Jarno Koskiranta on his own blue line and Andronov nipped in to beat Mikko Koskinen glove side and settle the outcome.

SKA, struggling for goals in the first three games of the series, resorted to desperate measures in a bid to save itself in Game 4. The first line of Shipachyov, Dadonov and Gusev, so prolific in the previous two rounds, was broken up after failing to muster a single point in three games against CSKA. Buchnevich, whose effort against the post in game three was the closest either came to breaking the deadlock in regulation, took Gusev’s place; the former Ugra forward dropped to the fourth line.

CSKA also rang the changes: the game winner last time out, Geoff Platt, was suspended so Simon Hjalmarsson took his place on the first line alongside Stephane da Costa and Alexander Radulov. There were five other players replaced and one of the newcomers, Roman Lyubimov, proved to be the architect of CSKA’s opening goal. It came on a counter-attack, with Lyubimov surging forward and rapping a shot into Mikko Koskinen’s pads. The goalie gave up a big rebound and Ivan Telegin got to the puck first and put an accurate low shot beneath the pad to make it 1-0 midway through the first period.

SKA, realizing that its last chance of prolonging the series was in serious jeopardy, made further tactical alterations. The team’s defensemen, most notably Maxim Chudinov, began to play a more attacking role and for the first time CSKA faced extended periods of pressure in front of Sorokin’s net. But while there were more opportunities, the young goalie once again produced a calm display between the piping, underlining his credentials as one of the brightest goaltending prospects to emerge from Russia in recent years.

As time ticked down, SKA reshuffled the lines again, and lack of understanding between Steve Moses and Vadim Shipachyov proved costly in the third period. The American got through on the net with Shipachyov outside him and well placed to find the empty corner. But these two rarely play together and Moses opted to shoot to the near post where Sorokin was waiting for him. Salvation came in the 52nd minute when, at last, SKA got its power play back on scoring form. Grigory Panin was the player in the box, serving a minor for tripping. Yegor Yakovlev found Anton Belov at the top of the left-hand circle and the defensive picked up a wrister that fizzed into the top corner. It was the first power play goal of the series for the Petersburg team, and the first goal of any sort in more than 165 minutes of game time.


It also kept the series alive, at least temporarily, although there was a heart-stopping moment for the home crowd with just seconds left to play. A mix-up in center ice presented Alexander Radulov with the puck and set him one on one with Koskinen. The arena held its breath, Radulov shot … and Koskinen got his pad behind the puck to save the day and take the game into overtime. The relief was enormous; the reprieve was all too brief. SKA’s grip on the cup is lost, CSKA awaits the winner of the Magnitka – Salavat Yulaev series.