All quarter-final matches in the Gagarin Cup 2022/2023 playoffs have reached their conclusion. On March 29, CSKA Moscow secured a commanding 5-0 victory over Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in game seven, sealing their advancement to the Western Conference finals alongside SKA St. Petersburg, who clinched their spot in the same conference. In the Eastern bracket, Ak Bars Kazan and Avangard Omsk prepared for a showdown to decide the Eastern Conference champion.
CSKA’s win followed a hard-fought previous series against Severstal Cherepovets, which also went the distance in seven games. SKA had a measured path to the quarterfinals, defeating Dinamo Minsk 4-2 in their opening round before sweeping Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod 4-0 in the next. Ak Bars Kazan dismissed Neftekhimik 4-2 in the first round and then overcame Admiral in the conference semifinals with the same scoreline, 4-2. Avangard, meanwhile, dominated their rivals in two consecutive series, finishing with an aggregate 8-1 in those battles, and the Omsk squad defeated Sibir and Metallurg in a sequence of wins to reach the conference finals.
Vladimir Plushev, the former head coach of the Russian national team and longtime mentor at Ak Bars, provided a concise recap of the Eastern Conference semi-finals, highlighting Kazan’s six-game series against Admiral and the pivotal moments that carried Ak Bars through. The quarterfinals and semifinals collectively showcased the depth of talent across the league, with teams balancing offense and defense to secure their paths toward the Gagarin Cup final stages. At stake was a chance to lift Russia’s premier hockey prize, a trophy that has become synonymous with intense playoff drama and national pride. The results set up a dramatic conclusion for the 2022/2023 playoffs, with two fierce Western Conference matchups and a high-stakes clash in the East that promised excitement for fans across Canada and the United States who follow the KHL closely. The outcomes also highlighted the strategic coaching decisions and player performances that defined the series, reinforcing the belief that playoff hockey demands consistency, adaptability, and peak execution under pressure. [Attribution: KHL official records and game recaps]