CSKA vs Lokomotiv. Who will be stronger on the capital's ice?
Cup series CSKA – Lokomotiv moves to Moscow for two matches. The third match of the first round of the Gagarin Cup playoffs will take place on March 4 on the ice of the capital's CSKA Arena. At the moment the score in the series is 1-1.
The Army Club is the current holder of the Gagarin Cup, having won the honorary title for two seasons in a row. However, the army team can hardly consider the results of the regular season successful. Sergei Fedorov's team fell away from the group of leaders already at the start of the regular championship, having spent the entire season teetering on the brink of relegation from the cup eight. As a result, CSKA finished in sixth place in the Western Conference standings, 22 points behind Dynamo Moscow, which finished first.
The army team's first opponent in the cup was Yaroslavl Lokomotiv, with whom fate brought the capital club together for the fourth playoff in a row. At the same time, the army team started the series on the road for the first time, having played two opening matches in Yaroslavl. Despite their guest status, the army team started their next cup campaign perfectly, beating the hosts in the first game with a clean score of 4-0. Grigorenko, Slepyshev, Nesterov and Abramov scored goals for the army club. The second match developed according to a similar scenario, in the first period of which, thanks to the efforts of Darren Dietz, the army team took the lead. However, this time it was not possible to build on the success; at the end of the second period, the army team conceded two goals within three minutes, ultimately losing the second match of the series with a score of 1-2.
Lokomotiv
Unlike the army team, Lokomotiv had an excellent regular season, claiming first place in the West until the last. As a result, the railway workers finished third, behind SKA St. Petersburg and Dynamo Moscow. Lokomotiv coach Igor Nikitin remained true to himself, the Yaroslavl club continues to build its game plans with an emphasis on defensive actions, having conceded the least number of goals in the League at the end of the regular season.
The result of the first playoff match, which Lokomotiv played in Yaroslavl, looked all the more unexpected. By the end of the second period, four unanswered pucks had hit the railway team's goal, which largely predetermined the final outcome. Lokomotiv made 38 shots on target at the army goal, but was unable to score a single goal. In the second match, Lokomotiv again outscored its opponent, making 34 shots on target at CSKA. This time the effectiveness of these throws was much higher. Elesin and Alekseev turned the tide of an unsuccessful match, allowing Lokomotiv to win a strong-willed victory.
Our Expert Predictions & Analysis on CSKA vs Lokomotiv
CSKAThe Army Club is the current holder of the Gagarin Cup, having won the honorary title for two seasons in a row. However, the army team can hardly consider the results of the regular season successful. Sergei Fedorov's team fell away from the group of leaders already at the start of the regular championship, having spent the entire season teetering on the brink of relegation from the cup eight. As a result, CSKA finished in sixth place in the Western Conference standings, 22 points behind Dynamo Moscow, which finished first.
The army team's first opponent in the cup was Yaroslavl Lokomotiv, with whom fate brought the capital club together for the fourth playoff in a row. At the same time, the army team started the series on the road for the first time, having played two opening matches in Yaroslavl. Despite their guest status, the army team started their next cup campaign perfectly, beating the hosts in the first game with a clean score of 4-0. Grigorenko, Slepyshev, Nesterov and Abramov scored goals for the army club. The second match developed according to a similar scenario, in the first period of which, thanks to the efforts of Darren Dietz, the army team took the lead. However, this time it was not possible to build on the success; at the end of the second period, the army team conceded two goals within three minutes, ultimately losing the second match of the series with a score of 1-2.
Lokomotiv
Unlike the army team, Lokomotiv had an excellent regular season, claiming first place in the West until the last. As a result, the railway workers finished third, behind SKA St. Petersburg and Dynamo Moscow. Lokomotiv coach Igor Nikitin remained true to himself, the Yaroslavl club continues to build its game plans with an emphasis on defensive actions, having conceded the least number of goals in the League at the end of the regular season.
The result of the first playoff match, which Lokomotiv played in Yaroslavl, looked all the more unexpected. By the end of the second period, four unanswered pucks had hit the railway team's goal, which largely predetermined the final outcome. Lokomotiv made 38 shots on target at the army goal, but was unable to score a single goal. In the second match, Lokomotiv again outscored its opponent, making 34 shots on target at CSKA. This time the effectiveness of these throws was much higher. Elesin and Alekseev turned the tide of an unsuccessful match, allowing Lokomotiv to win a strong-willed victory.
Comments 0