On March 22, the fourth game of the Gagarin Cup quarter-final series featured Yaroslavl Lokomotiv hosting Omsk Avangard. Lokomotiv claimed a 3 to 1 victory, adding another win to their series edge. The opening goal came early in the game when Georgy Ivanov found the back of the net in the fifth minute, giving Lokomotiv an important early lead. The teams traded chances in the second period, but neither side could convert, leaving the score unchanged as the clock wound down. In the early moments of the final period, Ivan Chekhovich extended Lokomotiv’s lead, creating a cushion that would prove decisive. Mikhail Gulyaev added another goal for Lokomotiv in the 54th minute, and Artur Kayumov sealed the result with a goal in the 55th minute, setting the final margin. The outcome left the series at 3 to 1 in favor of Lokomotiv, with Avangard having won the previous meeting between the teams. Lokomotiv aimed to finish the series on their home ice, strengthening their position in the pursuit of the Gagarin Cup title. This result reinforced the momentum Lokomotiv built through the playoffs, as cited by league recaps and postgame summaries from official sources.
The next clash between Lokomotiv and Avangard was scheduled to take place in Omsk on March 24, a critical road game for Avangard as they searched to narrow the series gap and force a decisive game, according to match notes from the league.
In another quarter-final match held on the same day, Traktor Moskva edged Dinamo Moscow with a 5 to 4 scoreline, earning a spot as the first semi-finalist of the Gagarin Cup competition. The high-scoring affair showcased late-period drama and clutch performances that propelled Traktor past their rival. Official summaries highlighted timely goals and strong special teams as pivotal factors in the triumph.
As for the current holder of the Gagarin Cup, CSKA Moscow, the team had recently secured the title on the eve of its 100th anniversary. On April 29, 2023, CSKA defeated Ak Bars Kazan in a decisive seventh game of the final series to notch the championship. With the 2023 playoff run concluded, CSKA and Ak Bars were no longer in contention for the cup in the present postseason, according to season-end summaries from league outlets.
Earlier remarks about the playoff landscape had recognized a few teams as notable disappointments, a category that often includes unexpected exits or underwhelming performances in the later rounds. League observers and analysts cited a mix of injuries, scheduling factors, and on-ice execution when reflecting on those outcomes.