Vladislav Tretiak, president of the Russian Hockey Federation, presided over a tense moment as the Gagarin Cup quarter-finals pitted Ekaterinburg Avtomobilist and St. Petersburg against each other. Journalists pressed him on whether it was appropriate for the fourth match between SKA Saint Petersburg and their rivals to be held before a packed arena the day after a major incident near Moscow. The discussion touched on the recent Crocus City Hall event and its impact on the hockey schedule. Tretiak’s response pointed to the team’s autonomy in making scheduling decisions, offering little commentary beyond stating that it was a club decision.
The March 23 game resulted in a 5-2 victory for the St. Petersburg side, narrowing the series deficit to 3-1 in favor of the visitors. With the next game slated for March 25 in St. Petersburg, kickoff was scheduled for 19:00 Moscow time, and fans anticipated a highly charged matchup under the arena lights. The atmosphere in the arena reflected a mix of resilience and support as players prepared to respond to the day’s events with their performance on the ice.
Complicating the schedule, the third match of the Gagarin Cup quarter-final between Spartak Moscow and Metallurg Magnitogorsk faced postponement on account of the Crocus City Hall attack. The incident cast a shadow over the entire hockey program, prompting leagues and clubs to reassess procedures and security at venues while preserving the playoff plan wherever possible.
On the evening of March 22, a terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk shocked spectators and players alike. Gunmen entered the concert hall, opened fire, and explosions followed, triggering a fire. News outlets reported on the sequence of events and the ongoing emergency response efforts as teams and organizers coordinated safety measures for upcoming games and public events. In the days that followed, leagues issued statements of solidarity and leaned on the shared sense of responsibility to ensure the well-being of fans, staff, and athletes.
Earlier updates noted that one upcoming match would begin with a moment of silence to honor victims of the attack. The hockey community stayed unified in honoring victims and offering support to those affected, while continuing to pursue competition on the ice with discipline and focus. Fans and teams alike understood that sport can serve as a unifying force even in the wake of tragedy, providing a sense of normalcy, structure, and communal spirit amid difficult news.