The Kontinental Hockey League’s (KHL) opening playoff round drew attention with a marquee matchup between Yaroslavl Lokomotiv and Nizhny Novgorod Torpedo, a clash that would settle early tensions ahead of the Gagarin Cup. The series set the tone for a Western Conference battle that many fans had circled on their calendars, given the teams’ recent form and the stakes of advancing in a stacked playoff field.
In a March 13 regular-season encounter, Cherepovets Severstal faced Dynamo Minsk in a high-scoring affair. The result indicated a compelling night of hockey, with the final tally showing Dynamo Minsk prevailing by a wide margin. The outcome played into the broader context of the league’s late-season rally and the shifting dynamics within the standings. This result mattered for teams contending for playoff positions and for how coaches balanced lineups in anticipation of the postseason. (Source: IIHF records)
As a consequence, Torpedo, sitting in eighth place in the Western Conference with around 70 points, faced a slim chance to climb the table in that stretch. Lokomotiv had already solidified their position with several strong performances against teams in this same section of the standings, reinforcing their momentum heading into the playoff push.
The first game of the series was scheduled for March 27 in Yaroslavl, promising a heated start to the best-of-seven duel and a chance for each club to set the tone early in the series.
Earlier in the season, Lokomotiv had secured a win over Severstal in a KHL matchup, a result that underscored the regular-season head-to-head dynamics between the clubs and the broader tactical profile Lokomotiv brought into the playoff picture.
In the spring of 2022, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) announced a sweeping change by prohibiting Russian players from participating in international tournaments, even in neutral status. The IIHF also assumed the right to organize the World Youth Championship in 2023, a move that reshaped pathways for young players across the world. In March 2023, IIHF extended the suspension to cover the 2023/24 season, further altering international competition timelines and the development pipeline for Russian players and teams. (Source: IIHF announcements)
Roman Rotenberg later described the moment as one of the hardest phone calls of his life, reflecting on the emotional weight of navigating such upheaval during a critical period for his organization and for the sport in the region.