KHL - Gagarin Cup Preview

Zaripov sheds blood, Sekac returns, Bilyaletdinov schemes, Lukoyanov gives out advice and Potapov prepares for his first final – KHL.ru reports on Gagarin Cup finalist Ak Bars from the Kazan team's open training session. Following Ak Bars's 3-1 victory over Traktor in Chelyabinsk last Thursday, which secured the Kazan men a 4-0 series sweep, it seemed that team boss Zinetula Bilyaletdinov was already in planning mode, heading straight from the press conference to the elevator and thence to the bus which swiftly carried the team to the airport.
The rapid victory in the Eastern Conference final secured for the team a precious three extra days of rest, seen by some (but by no means all) as a possible advantage over their Gagarin Cup rivals, CSKA, and then came the news of an outbreak of mumps in the Moscow Army Men's ranks...
– Even though we will go out and do battle against them, I really hope that illness won't have any bearing on the series, – said Ak Bars forward Alexander Burmistrov. – We are all human beings. We wish a speedy recovery and a swift return to the ice for any CSKA players who have fallen ill.
– Has your team been vaccinated?
– Not yet.
– But they have handed out pills to combat any mumps epidemic, as we don't want a single chink in our armor, - Kazan forward Alexei Potapov added, leaving the reporters to guess whether he was joking or being serious.

We've changed our training sessions, tailoring them specifically for facing CSKA

Health and fitness was the first topic of discussion at morning training, thanks to the appearance of Czech forward Jiri Sekac. He was injured during the series with Metallurg Magnitogorsk and the preliminary diagnosis ruled him out for the remainder of the season, so it was a pleasant surprise to see him put through his paces with the rest of the team.
– He's still not ready, but the fact he can take part in full training with the team is very encouraging - said Zinetula Bilyaletdinov.
– Can he shoot?
– Yes, he's taking shots, but he's he's still not fighting fit.
Another notable absentee was former Canadiens alternate captain Andrei Markov. According to the Kazan head coach, the experienced defenseman had just been granted an extra rest period. His comrade in defense, Roman Abrosimov, was in training today, but given that he is yet to feature in this year's playoffs, it is hard to imagine his reaching match-fitness in time for the big showdown with CSKA.
For match practice, the Ak Bars players lined up as follows:
Goaltenders: Emil Garipov, Alexander Starichenko, Artur Misbakhov

Red: Rafael Batyrshin, Vasily Tokranov, Roman Abrosimov, Danis Zaripov, Vladimir Tkachyov, Stanislav Galiyev

Green: Albert Yarullin, Damir Musin, Rob Klinkhammer, Anton Lander, Justin Azevedo, Jiri Sekac

Blue: Mikhail Sidorov, Roman Manukhov, Mikhail Glukhov, Alexander Svitov, Anton Glinkin

Orange: Atte Ohtamaa, Nikita Lyamkin, Artyom Lukoyanov, Alexander Burmistrov, Alexei Potapov

CSKA has a great roster, and I know many of the guys. They do not give you much time, in offense or in defense. Beautiful hockey will not bring you victory here. There will be many physical battles, and the games will be fiercely-contested.

The on-ice training was intense and lasted over an hour, but some, such as Vladimir Tkachyov, were out there almost half an hour before the full contingent took to the ice. Tkachyov was cheerfully practicing his shooting, aided by the team's third goalie with his Finnish coach.
– We're preparing for CSKA. We know how they will play, so our regime is focused solely on that – said Zinetula Bilyaletdinov. The boss was clearly in upbeat mood, although he was as businesslike and formal as ever when talking to the press.
– Your guys were playing 2-on-2 at the end. What is the purpose of this?
– We rarely do it, We've changed our training sessions, tailoring them specifically for facing CSKA.
– In recent years, Ak Bars have enjoyed more success against SKA than against CSKA. Is this team more awkward for your team?
– All our opponents are strong. This is the final, so you can't waste time pondering which opponent is awkward for your team and which is not. You have to go out and play. And win.
– You said you knew how to play against CSKA. How?
– It is our job to answer that question. We will find the answer among ourselves.
– Any ideas on how to score against Sorokin and Johansson?
– They are good goaltenders, Johansson has showed his best form, and hasn't allowed a goal for the past two games. It is obvious they will make it hard for us to score, and we need to look for ways to solve this problem.
Ak Bars open training session

Beautiful hockey will not bring you victory

Ak Bars now looks like a team that is confident of victory and is ready to win its third Gagarin Cup. However, no-one in Kazan is promising an outbreak of beautiful hockey in the series against CSKA.
– For me, this is the first final of my career, - said Alexei Potapov, who joined the Kazan club in a move from Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod during the regular season and slotted seamlessly into the team - I've never reached this far in the playoffs before. For some, a final is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and many players never get a taste of it in their entire careers, so right now we are fully focussed on the battle which lies ahead, concentrating on our game and our preparations. We must be ready, both physically and mentally.
– CSKA in the playoffs is playing a different game to that which we saw from them in the regular season.
– CSKA has a great roster, and I know many of the guys. They triumphed over SKA, so we take them very seriously indeed. It will be very tough, regardless of which kind of hockey CSKA will play. They do not give you much time, in offense or in defense. Beautiful hockey will not bring you victory here. There will be many physical battles, and the games will be fiercely-contested.
– Znarok spoke about the possible fatigue among those who represented their country at the Olympics, and CSKA has a lot of international players. Does this hand Ak Bars an advantage?
– The fact that CSKA players were at the Olympics will not be a deciding factor. Those guys have had time to get physically prepared for facing us. You can always, of course, complain about the weather or some other factor, but in the end, you just have to go out and do your job, which is play to win. It doesn't matter how things are at home, or if anything is giving you pain. We must go out onto the ice and give all we've got.
– How important a factor are the goalies?
– We talked to Emil Garipov before the playoffs, and with our experienced playoffs battler, Danis Zaripov, and they confirmed that the goaltenders are 75% of the team in the playoffs. One of the most important factors in a team's success. Johansson has been doing a great job, and his team-mates have helped him, but in every series out here in the East we have come up against top-class goalies, so we are ready.

Justin's a great player, but he always has been, and we've seen the evidence in every practice session. Still, it's safe to say that in the playoffs he's able to raise his game to an even higher level. He is a key player for us.

– Is Johansson's great form down to luck or skill?
– I don't think CSKA grabbed the guy from the street – they knew who they were recruiting, had faith in him, and he has justified that faith.
– After the end of the series with Traktor, did you want SKA or CSKA in the final?
– For me, after the series with Traktor I wanted a holiday. Despite the 4-0 score, the series was a very tough one, and it drained us both physically and emotionally. So I just wanted to relax and then prepare for the final. CSKA's victory is not a sensation, because SKA and CSKA are two top clubs, in the same class. Remember that each of them provided nearly half the players for Team Russia at the Olympics.
– Ak Bars has had more time to rest and recuperate.
– Of course, this is a plus for us, CSKA has expended more emotional and physical energy, although getting past Traktor was far from easy. This short break lets us recharge our batteries, spend time with our families, stroll around the city. A change of scenery, if you like.

Zinetula Bilyaletdinov

The Gagarin Cup is at stake, so friendship will be suspended while we're out on the ice

Potapov, in particular, seems eager to answer any questions in great depth, and Artyom Lukoyanov engaged in some gentle mockery of the assembled media representatives clutching their various gadgets, but the next man to speak was Swedish forward Anton Lander:
– Have you ever played against CSKA goalie Lars Johansson?
– No, never, but he seems very impressive. We'll try to find a way to beat him.
– What can you say about CSKA?
– It is a fine team that plays well in powerplay and when short-handed. The series will be a close one, and I don't think there will be an abundance of goals.
– Your partner, Justin Azevedo, is now the top scorer in the Gagarin Cup playoffs.
– Justin's a great player, but he always has been, and we've seen the evidence in every practice session. Still, it's safe to say that in the playoffs he's able to raise his game to an even higher level. He is a key player for us, so we are very happy that he's plays on our side, for Ak Bars, and we believe his fine run of form will continue.
Another Ak Bars player who has been steadily gathering momentum and points in the playoffs is Danis Zaripov. No-one could accuse the Kazan Men of taking it easy in training, and during this session a stray puck strikes Danis square in the face. The legendary, multi-titled veteran has to take a short break on the bench in order to stem the flow of blood from his nose.
During the series with Traktor, Zaripov promised the news-hungry press pack that he would answer all their questions after the end of the Eastern Conference final, but it would be poor form to pester him for his thoughts while he was shedding blood from this unexpected knock, Fortunately, Ak Bars is the kind of team where pretty much all the players are willing to share a few words, even while preparing for the most crucial games.

I've never reached this far in the playoffs before. For some, a final is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and many players never get a taste of it in their entire careers, so right now we are fully focused on the battle which lies ahead, concentrating on our game, and our preparations.

– What is the main focus now in your training?
– Intensity training. We need to start the final series in good shape, hit the ground running, and to be ready to play all through all the games, - said former Atlanta and Winnipeg forward, Alexander Burmistrov. - CSKA is a team that consistently plays at a very high level, and has produced excellent hockey all through the season. I think the two teams are very similar.
– You used to play in the same line as Kirill Petrov for Ak Bars, but how often have you faced each other on opposing sides?
– I've played alongside Kirill since childhood. And we were on opposing sides only recently, in January, when CSKA came to Kazan. And back in our youth, when he was at Spartak. Now we have the final, and the Gagarin Cup is at stake, so friendship will be suspended while we're out on the ice.
– You have played for Ak Bars in the final before. Three years ago, against SKA...
– And that was not a happy ending for us. This time we will do all we can to win.




The apprentice is about to face the sorcerer. CSKA’s head coach, Igor Nikitin, got his first call-up to Russia’s training staff under Zinetula Bilyaletdinov back in 2011-12. On Saturday, he faces off against his old mentor in the 2018 Gagarin Cup Final. Already this season, he’s aided and eliminated another great coach – Oleg Znarok, colleague for Team Russia, rival in the KHL. Can he outstrip one more mentor?
Nikitin, 45, has not always been in the limelight. He may have Olympic gold and two World Championship victories on his resume, but a life spent largely as an assistant coach has left the Kazakh-born defenseman out of the headlines. Indeed, Wikipedia does not yet have an English entry for him – something that is surely set to change in the coming weeks, regardless of the outcome of this year’s Gagarin Cup Final.
As a player, Nikitin emerged from the Torpedo club in Ust-Kamenogorsk, making his debut in the Soviet championship in 1990. His greatest successes came with Avangard, where he won Russian and European titles and earned a call-up to Kazakhstan’s 1998 Olympic roster. His style, very much a stay-at-home blue liner, prompts an assumption that his teams will play the same way. CSKA’s results this season, allowing just 89 goals in regular season and completing the first round of the playoffs with just one goal on Ilya Sorokin, reinforces that assumption. The joking suggestion is that Nikitin’s D-men are barred from crossing the red line.

Igor Nikitin

Niktin himself, though, insists that hockey has evolved since his playing days, and he has evolved with it. After all, he was on the coaching staff for Russia’s swashbuckling World Championship wins of 2012 and 2014, where loaded offense won the day. As he told KHL.ru in a pre-season interview: “We have plenty of attack-minded D-men – but only once they’ve fulfilled their defensive duties. If someone has offensive skills, let’s take advantage of that; if not, it’s a different story. There’s no point asking a player to do something that he cannot.”
Nikitin took over from Dmitry Kvartalnov behind the CSKA bench, having worked with him in Moscow and earlier in Novosibirsk. He’s also gained a wealth of international experience. The only thing lacking from Nikitin’s coaching career prior to this season was extensive knowledge of life as a head coach. A couple of short spells behind the bench at Avangard included one sensation when his 16th-seeded team dumped regular-season champion Salavat Yulaev out of the 2009 playoffs, but his contribution in Omsk got rather lost amid the storms whipped up by the volatile Raimo Summanen. In Novosibirsk, he pushed Sibir up a level – but the club’s success remained more closely associated with the wiles of GM Kirill Fastovsky. Then in Moscow he was at Kvartalnov’s side through three regular season titles and a Gagarin Cup defeat in 2016 before being handed the task of ending the Army Men’s long, long wait for the big prize.
That pressure remains. Club president Igor Yesmantovich went on the record this week to remind everyone that ending SKA’s defense of its title doesn’t mean all that much on its own. “For CSKA, reaching the final isn’t a success,” Yesmantovich said. “At our club, we have only one aim – the greatest: to win the Gagarin Cup. Sure, it’s good to beat the defending champion, but that’s only one step towards our ultimate target.”

Igor Nikitin

To achieve that aim, Nikitin’s team rebuilt after Kvartalnov’s departure. A new emphasis on recruiting Russian players looking to return home from North America brought the likes of Alexei Marchenko, Mikhail Grigorenko and Nikita Nesterov. Players with potential, but with questions to answer after their stint across the Atlantic. Under Nikitin’s guidance, they gained in confidence and competence. Olympic medals secured, they’re now chasing domestic glory. Then there are two other young Russians, both tipped as future NHL stars. Goalie Ilya Sorokin and forward Kirill Kaprizov. The forward, whose reputation for scoring clutch goals has been reinforced by his golden Olympic marker and, more recently, the vital game-winner in game five in St. Petersburg, had an odd time of it. Arriving from Salavat Yulaev as a star turn, he found himself rotated in and out of Nikitin’s line-up at CSKA. An unexpected strategy, but a successful one so far, with 40 points in 46 regular season outings and 10 from 15 in the playoffs. Sorokin, meanwhile, has been impressive all season – but not to the extent that Lars Johansson has been forgotten. Nikitin’s relationship with his goalies ensured that when the Swede was needed, he was primed and ready to perform. Four appearances in the series against SKA saw Johansson stop all 74 of the shots he faced; CSKA won through thanks to his heroics in the final two games of the conference final.

Igor Nikitin

Suddenly, CSKA is the hot favorite to land its first Gagarin Cup. In the regular season, the two Army clubs of the West were head and shoulders above all comers; Ak Bars, as always, was powerful in the East but its record hardly matches up to the dominance of SKA and CSKA. However, we’ve been here before. Few gave Metallurg a chance in 2016, especially after CSKA won 5-1 in the opening game of the final. A year earlier, SKA’s hopes seemed to be over when it trailed 0-3 in the Western Conference Final, only for CSKA to let slip a huge lead. We know Nikitin’s team has the talent to win. We know Nikitin’s coaching can get the best out of it. Now, we’ll find out if he and his players have the composure to secure the biggest prize.



On Saturday in Kazan begins the final series of the Gagarin Cup, which will be contested by Ak Bars and CSKA. For the Muscovite Army Men, this is a second appearances in the KHL playoffs final. A mere two years ago, Dmitry Kvartalnov's team took the series to seven games before succumbing to Metallurg Magnitogorsk. For the club from Kazan, this will be a fourth final appearance and a chance to become the first team to win the League's major trophy for a third time. Two days before the start of the final, CSKA Moscow held an open training session, and KHL.ru was there to ask the thoughts of the coaches and players. “We'll definitely see Kaprizov and Robinson”
CSKA 's training session on Thursday consisted of many parts, the first of which comprised practice matches involving five teams, with defenseman Nikita Makeyev and forward Nikita Popugayev as “flying skaters”, flitting from team to team. The second part of the on-ice training was practice at uneven strength. Three-time Stanley Cup winner Sergei Fedorov, who previously held the position of General Manager at the club, continues to help the team out in training.

CSKA open training session. Greg Scott, Bogdan Kiselevich

The line-ups of the teams for the practice matches were as follows:
Goaltenders: Sorokin, Juhansson, Tretyak
Reds: Ozhiganov-Kiselevich, Petrov-Popov-Nichushkin, Okulov
Blues: Sergeyev-Blazhiyevsky, Zharkov-Scott-Platt, Svetlakov
Sky Blues: Marchenko-Nesterov, Shumakov-Shalunov-Grigorenko, Kuzmenko
Whites: Pashnin-Naumenkov, Andronov-Telegin-Lyubimov, Karnaukhov
Greens: Makeyev, Popugayev.
Onto the ice stepped two of the team's leaders: defenseman Mat Robinson and forward Kirill Kaprizov, both of whom missed the sixth game of the Western Conference final series against SKA. Dmitry Yushkevich, senior coach at CSKA, assured the assembled reporters that both men will play a role in the forthcoming final, but as for when, it was too early to say.
– We'll definitely see Kaprizov and Robinson. It is too soon to say when, but we intend to take Kaprizov with us to Kazan for the first two games, – Yushkevich said.
Another of the recent walking wounded, forward Ivan Telegin, who only played in the first two games of the series against SKA, is now back to full fitness. He will be hoping to repeat his performances of two years ago, when his superb displays in the knockout stage earned him a call-up to the Russian national team for the World Championships.
– I'm now in the best of health, – said Telegin. – The experience of our defeat by Magnitogorsk in the final two years ago should help us, as we have to learn from our mistakes. Now we face Ak Bars, which is a highly disciplined team. I think you will get some entertaining hockey. Not ten goals, of course, like in our last match of the regular season, although ... anything can happen.

CSKA open training session. Dmitry Yushkevich

“Selecting the goaltender is no tougher than usual”

In the series against SKA, the biggest revelation was CSKA's Swedish goaltender Lars Johansson, who did not allow a single goal against the reigning champions. His shutout series now stands at 198 minutes and 32 seconds, and in order to break the record for the Gagarin Cup, he only needs to remain unbeaten for single period.
– Who is playing in goal? We'll let it be a surprise, – Yushkevich continued. – Making the selection is no tougher than usual. Both Lars Johansson and Ilya Sorokin have been in superb form, both deserve to start the series, and this is a pleasant problem to have. We still haven't decided, and we'll make the choice before the game. With Sorokin all is well, he's ready, and eager to join in the battle.

CSKA open training session. Ilya Sorokin

“Bilyaletdinov will spring some surprises”

Yushkevich once worked on the coaching staff of the Russian national team alongside current Ak Bars head coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov. The CSKA coach is sure that his team should expect the unexpected from the eminent specialist.
– I'm 100% certain that Bilyaletdinov will spring some surprises on us. Vladimir Vladimirovich Yurzinov said Zinetula Khaidarovich (Bilyaletdinov) is planning some for us. Whatever has happened before is in the past. The Ak Bars guys play differently now, they produce good, solid hockey, – Yushkevich said.
At the dawn of the KHL era, Ak Bars won the first two Gagarin Cup finals, and back then the team boasted a certain forward by the name of Kirill Petrov, now part of the CSKA offense. For him, this final will be a special occasion, although he is keen to play down that aspect.
- Back in those days, I didn't really play very often. I was still young, and I wouldn't say I made a huge contribution to the team, – said Petrov. – I know a lot of the guys in their team, and I get on fine with them – Alexander Burmistrov, for example. I haven't made any bets, and why should I? A trip to Kazan is nothing out of the ordinary for me, since I often visit the place.

CSKA open training session. Kirill Petrov

“The first game will be a getting-to-know-you exercise”

In the regular season, the teams played twice and exchanged home wins. In Moscow, on the 17th of November, CSKA managed to shut out the Kazan Men and recorded a 3-0 victory, while the return in the Tatarstan capital turned out to be one of the most spectacular matches of the season, with the Kazan Men defeating the Army Men 6-4.
– The first game will be like being on reconnaissance, a getting-to-know-you exercise, There is a good chance of taking your opponent by surprise, but it won't prove decisive. As the series progresses and the opponent grows more familiar, chances of surprising them vanish and the games get tougher and tougher. You won't catch anyone with his pants down in the final. Yes, we've thought about how we might stop Justin Azevedo. But in general, the main thing is to get straight into battle first, and ask questions later – Yushkevich concluded.


CSKA – Mikhail Grigorenko

vs Spartak – 3+0
vs Jokerit – 2+1
vs SKA – 4+2
Total: 9+3=12 points

CSKA’s leading scorer in this playoff campaign, Mikhail Grigorenko, is one of the Army club’s returning stars. After making his name with Krasnaya Armiya in the MHL, Grigorenko was a hot pick in the CHL Import Draft of 2011. Chosen second by the Quebec Remparts, he impressed with 85 points in 49 games in his rookie season and was the 12th pick in the 2012 NHL draft. That took him to Buffalo Sabres. Two seasons dividing his time between the NHL, the Remparts and the Sabres’ AHL affiliate in Rochester led to a switch to Colorado and a reunion with Patrick Roy, the head coach who brought him to Quebec. Grigorenko had two seasons of solid game time with the Avalanche, but was often deployed in a bottom-six role ill-suited to his physique. Leaving as a UFA at the end of last season, he opted to return to his old club in Moscow rather take up another NHL offer.
That move paid off: Grigorenko had a solid debut season in the KHL, scoring 23 (10+13) in 45 games as he adapted to European ice. That earned his first call-ups to Russia’s senior national team, having previously represented the u18 and u20 rosters. If his decision to leave the NHL was partly motivated by the chance to go to the Olympics, his move paid off richly when he collected a gold medal in PyeongChang in February, having staked his claim impressively in his debut appearance at the Karjala Cup in November. Then came the playoffs and Grigorenko blossomed. A steady increase in production through the post season culminated with two goals in game six of the series against SKA – a late tying goal to force overtime, then a winner midway through the first frame of extras to put CSKA into the grand final. Bang in form after a season of success, the 23-year-old from Khabarovsk is out to back his first club trophy in his rookie Gagarin Cup campaign.
Grigorenko attributes much of his progress this season to CSKA’s ability to rotate its players. Head coach Igor Nikitin has sometimes raised eyebrows with his willingness to scratch the likes of Kirill Kaprizov and Grigorenko himself, but the 23-year-old believes that the team spirit among the Army Men this year means rotation helps to raise standards. “We’re a really tight-knit team,” he said after his game-winning performance against SKA. “If someone is out of the team, then everybody tries to play even better. You could see it today – we wanted to win more, we blocked all those shots. We’re doing it for ourselves, and for the team.”



Ak Bars – Justin Azevedo

vs Amur – 3+3
vs Metallurg – 2+6
vs Traktor – 2+3
Total: 7+14=21 points

For Grigorenko, this season is his first crack at a Gagarin Cup final; for AK Bars’ leading scorer Justin Azevedo, it’s already his third attempt to get his hands on the big cup. Like Grigorenko, Azevedo’s career began as a stand-out prospect in the CHL. The 2008-09 season saw him scoop the CHL Player of the Year award among a host of individual prizes as he put up an incredible 124 points with the Kitchener Rangers in Ontario. Unlike Grigorenko, though, Azevedo never made it to the NHL. Drafted 153^rd overall in the 2008 draft, he was taken by the LA Kings and assigned to the Manchester Monarchs in the AHL. Four seasons there brought him no closer to the show, and in 2012 the forward opted to try his luck in Europe and signed for Lukko in Finland. Then came a season at Lev Prague and a Cinderella run to the final. Lev’s collapse saw the Canadian move to Ak Bars in time for the 2015 defeat to SKA. Azevedo remained with the club, and in his fourth season in Kazan he’s back in the big game once more – and hoping it might be third time lucky.
Azevedo's relatively small physique may have cost him a shot at the NHL. However, he's proved well suited to hockey in Europe, where the larger ice gives more room for technically gifted skaters to impress. His form in Kazan would probably have earned him a call-up to Willie Desjardins Olympic roster were it not for injury problems that limited Azevedo to just 31 appearances in the regular season. He still tallied 28 points, though, and playoff hockey is what he does best.
Back in 2014, he made history by scoring a goal in each of the seven games of the Gagarin Cup Final. In doing so, he put another country on the hockey map: Canadian born, Azevedo has Portuguese roots, connecting the land of Cristiano Ronaldo with the icy exploits of the Northern countries. This season, too, Azevedo is on a record trail: after notching at least one point in each of the last 11 games, he’s poised to set a new KHL record for a playoff scoring streak. Currently, the record run of 12 is shared by Sergei Mozyakin and the late Pavol Demitra.
It’s a run not lost on his team-mates. Fellow forward Anton Lander spoke to journalists at the team’s open practice earlier this week, and said: “Justin’s playing great, but he’s always been a great player. We see that every day. In these playoffs he’s taken it to a whole new level and that makes a big difference. We’re really glad that he’s on our team and we’re hoping he can keep up that form in the final.”



The big face-off is almost upon us. The 10^th Gagarin Cup final gets underway today and the two rivals are putting the finishing touches to their plans. For Ak Bars, grand final pressures are nothing new: it’s the fourth time Zinetula Bilyaletdinov has led his team to the season’s ultimate showdown, more than any other team in the KHL. For CSKA, meanwhile, a club where recent history does not match up to an illustrious past, this is only the second attempt to hoist the big prize – and the first for head coach Igor Nikitin as he cements his reputation as one of the brightest prospects of the new generation of Russian coaches.
Personnel problems
Both teams have had injury concerns in the build up to the big game. Ak Bars forward Jiri Sekac, previously a finalist with Lev Prague in 2014, has only just returned from the treatment room and it remains unclear how close he will be to full game fitness. Bilyaletdinov may be hoping that he can return to a potent import line alongside Anton Lander and the free-scoring Justin Azevedo, but the head coach may also be reluctant to disturb Rob Klinkhammer after he stepped into that troika during the series against Traktor.



Jiri Sekac, Sergei Mozyakin, Anton Lander


For CSKA, the key concerns are Kirill Kaprizov and Mat Robinson. The pair missed the concluding game against SKA in the Western Conference Final, and assistant coach Dmitry Yushkevich admitted that it’s a case of ‘wait and see’. “We will definitely see both of them again,” he said at the Army Men’s open practice this week. “It’s just not easy to say how soon. We are planning to take Kirill to Kazan for the first game.”
Kaprizov’s reputation as a big game player, reinforced by his exploits for Team Russia in World Juniors and Olympic action, make him something of a talisman even if his playoff form thus far has been limited to two goals and eight assists; Robinson, a Canadian defenseman with several years of solid service at Dynamo and CSKA, brings a formidable presence to the blue line while offering an extra outlet on the power play. If fully fit, both would expect to play a big role for the Army Men.


The weight of expectation
For CSKA, nothing but victory will do. The world’s most titled hockey club has not claimed the country’s top prize since the break-up of the USSR. The near-miss against Metallurg in 2016 was as close as the Moscow team has come to ending its trophy drought and from the president’s office down, the word is that this has to be the year. But this is not a roster stacked with big game experience. For many of these players, their Olympic achievements in February were a first taste of playing at the sharp end of a big tournament in adult hockey. And, of course, the one-off knock-out phase of an international tournament is a different beast than the step-by-step battle through a seven-game playoff series. Much might depend on the influence of Mikhail Pashnin and Alexander Popov, relatively unheralded on the ice but rich in experience of playoff action. Their guidance could be crucial for the younger players on the team.
In Kazan, there’s far more familiarity with this stage of the competition. Head coach Bilyaletdinov and forward Danis Zaripov were both here to lift the first Gagarin Cup back in 2009; veteran blue-liner Andrei Markov has seen it all and done it all, and there’s no shortage of know-how throughout the roster. Again, though, expectation is sky high. Ak Bars is an athletic flagship in a city that likes to regard itself as the sportiest in Russia – home to title-winning football, hockey, volleyball and basketball clubs, host to international events from the FINA World Championships to the FIFA World Cup. As a result, there’s there’s a cult of success around the team and a fervent expectation of regular trophies. For all the team’s pedigree in the 21^st century, it remains a fact that there’s been no fresh silverware at the Tatneft Arena since 2010. That’s something that many fans insist has to change as soon as possible.


Head-to-head
Over the course of the regular season, CSKA’s record far outstripped Ak Bars’. The Eastern Conference top seed ended the season with 100 points, fourth on the overall KHL ranking. Moreover, Ak Bars suffered 24 losses in its 56 games: CSKA and SKA combined only tasted defeat on 21 occasions. The Army Men scored more and conceded fewer than their cup final opponent and ended the season 24 points better off. However, when the teams met in regular season action, the gulf was not so apparent. The teams each won their home game. CSKA took a 3-0 verdict in November, helped by two goals in the first 10 minutes from Nikita Nesterov and Andrei Kuzmenko, plus a shut-out from Ilya Sorokin. Then, in January, the teams served up one of the best games of the season as Ak Bars won 6-4. Goals from Andrei Markov and Stanislav Galiyev early in the third period tipped the balance in the host’s favor after a rollercoaster of a game. A repeat of that kind of hockey in the coming days would bring us a final for the ages.