Metallurg Magnitogorsk moved into the next round of the Gagarin Cup battle by taking down Spartak Moscow in the sixth game of the quarterfinal series. The clash unfolded at the Megasport Arena in Moscow, where Magnitogorsk came away with a convincing 3-0 victory. The team was propelled by goals from Roman Kantserov, Denis Zernov, and Nikita Mikhailis, each contributing at key moments to seal the win.
That win completed a best-of-seven quarterfinal series that Metallurg Magnitogorsk ultimately won 4-2. The series showed both teams fighting hard across the board, with Magnitogorsk gradually gaining momentum after a strong start and Spartak Moscow offering stubborn resistance before finally bowing out in the decisive sixth game.
Meanwhile, Yaroslavl Lokomotiv advanced to the semifinals after edging out a difficult path through the earlier rounds. They defeated Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg, Traktor Chelyabinsk, and Avangard Omsk in a tight, 2-0 sweep in the earlier rounds, and then pressed through a grueling seven-game series to finally eliminate their opponent with a 4-3 final tally in the conference bracket. Lokomotiv’s resilience was on full display as they navigated a high-stakes stretch, demonstrating depth in scoring and clutch performances in crunch moments.
CSKA Moscow remains the reigning Gagarin Cup champion, having captured the title on the sport’s 100th anniversary on April 29, 2023. They secured the cup by defeating Ak Bars Kazan in a seventh-game classic final, a victory that underscored CSKA’s historical strength and ability to deliver in pivotal moments. However, in the current season CSKA and Ak Bars faced early exits sooner than expected, with both clubs eliminated in the first round as the playoff field narrowed toward the semifinals and beyond.
In a broader view of the tournament’s landscape, Lokomotiv’s recent victory over Avangard in the Gagarin Cup playoffs marked an important milestone for the team, signaling their intent to compete for the title with renewed vigor. The season has seen a mix of dominant performances and tightly contested clashes, highlighting the depth and competitiveness present within the league as teams push toward the final stages of the Gagarin Cup playoffs.