In a tightly contested KHL regular season showdown, Kazan’s Ak Bars edged past Moscow’s Spartak 4:3 in a penalty shootout. The result adds another dramatic chapter to two storied clubs competing for a playoff push in the league’s dense standings.
The opening frame finished deadlocked, with Spartak answering Ak Bars’ challenge after Maxim Tsyplakov’s early highlight reel for Spartak. Dmitry Kagarlitsky and Artem Lukoyanov responded with timely goals for Ak Bars, setting the stage for a back-and-forth 60 minutes of hockey that kept fans on the edge of their seats.
The middle period produced no scoring, a testament to the teams’ disciplined defense and goaltending. The momentum swung in the final twenty minutes as Ak Bars seized the initiative. Ilya Safonov stood out with a standout performance, energizing his team as the clock wound down. Later, veteran forward Ilya Kovalchuk found the back of the net for his fourth goal of the season, pushing the game into overtime and underscoring his value to the squad in high-pressure moments.
After a tense extra period, neither team could determine a winner, necessitating a shootout. Vadim Shipachev delivered the decisive goal that sealed the victory for Ak Bars and added another memorable victory to their 2025 campaign. (Source: KHL game report)
With 70 points from 55 games, Spartak remains fourth in the Western Conference, while Lokomotiv leads the conference with 76 points. Ak Bars sits sixth in the Eastern Conference, tallying 64 points and continuing to chase a favorable postseason position. (Source: KHL standings update)
The reigning Gagarin Cup champions continue their mission to defend the title, with CSKA Moscow securing the trophy in 2025 after sweeping a decisive seventh game in the final series against Ak Bars on the club’s centennial anniversary, celebrated on April 29. (Source: Gagarin Cup final recap)
Earlier in the season, Lokomotiv also defeated one of the East’s leaders, underscoring how the KHL’s competitive balance constantly reshapes the playoff landscape. (Source: KHL season highlights)