«Someone once wrote that CSKA is they are killers. In the moment of the game we feel the blood, everyone plays from start to finish, trying to realize their chances. We are all adult men. We understand the responsibility for the result, we understand and analyze our mistakes, «such a powerful statement following the results of the third match of the final series of the Cup Gagarin was made by one of the main characters of the meeting, Prokhor Poltapov.
The young striker of CSKA Moscow hit the nail on the head — the “army team” fully showed the so-called killer instinct, realizing the necessary minimum of the small number of scoring chances that the Muscovites created. In total, the Red-Blues made 15 shots on target, and in fact CSKA had enough of three out of five shots in the second period to score three winning goals. And although after the game, the mentor of the “army men” Sergei Fedorov expressed indignation about this, stressing that he expects from his forwards at least six accurate shots per game from each, no one will take away an important winning result from his team.
In this regard, it was a pity “Ak Bars”. Kazan surpassed the opponent in all key statistical indicators, but still lost. CSKA thus frankly mocked their formidable and uncompromising opponent, they say, «Show your best game, have a game advantage, but at the right moment we will throw you to the deflection and take the victory.» Skill is such a decisive factor following the results of the meeting, the head coach of Ak Bars Zinetula Bilyaletdinov singled out:
“There is an opportunity — they perform. All situations were scoring, we must not let them create them. it was enough for the score to be different.»
Considering the fact that Bilyaletdinov's wards looked very powerful in the third match, he again refused to change the squad. He included in the start and Timur Bilyalov, who gave a little rest in the third period of the previous meeting. Sergei Fedorov, on the other hand, waited for the return of Andrei Svetlakov and included the strategically important center forward in the nominal third link.
CSKA hockey players took Fedorov's requirements, if not literally, then enough for understanding. What is in the first, that in the second periods, the “army team” made 11 shots on target. But in the first 40 minutes, only one reached the goal. And that throw was relative. Anton Slepyshev converted the majority, skillfully substituting the stick after Konstantin Okulov's throw. One of the attacking leaders of the “red-blues” in this playoff differs not as often as at the start of the Gagarin Cup, but “Ak Bars” scored in the second match in a row. It was his puck in the previous meeting that became victorious for CSKA, and today, thanks to his efforts, the Muscovites equalized the score.
And quite quickly. Slepyshev's goal came in the 15th minute, and Ak Bars scored four minutes earlier. Kazan — as in the last match — from the very debut acted actively and even aggressively, as evidenced by a large number of power moves. Only in the first two periods, the wards of Zinetula Bilyaletdinov made 22 hits. For comparison, CSKA had only 5 of them in the same period. Otherwise, it could not be otherwise with the presence of Alexander Radulov in the composition. At the age of 36, the star forward as the leader and captain of Ak Bars himself rushed around the court like a madman, and charged his teammates with emotions, constantly telling them how to act in a given situation.
Pressure “Ak Bars” at the start of the game was transformed into a fairly logical goal. Stanislav Galiev, who moments earlier had not used a sure opportunity to score, did not slow down and continued to harass Adam Reideborn. CSKA goalkeeper parried Galiyev's shot, but hit the puck right on Kirill Semyonov's stick. For him, this goal was only the second in the current playoffs.
Both goals happened in the first period, and almost until the very end of regular time, the rivals exchanged only courtesies, not pucks. Overtime was supposed to be a logical continuation of the Battle of Moscow, but one big curiosity decided everything.
CSKA forward Vladislav Kamenev finalized the moment at the opponent's goal and, fortunately, threw it from a negative angle. And hit! The puck hit the shield Timur Bilyalov, who saved “Ak Bars” throughout the meeting, and treacherously crawled into the gate. If there was a place for drama in this match, then only this. Alexander Radulov, out of anger and annoyance with emotions, even broke his stick. The leader of «Ak Bars» eventually agreed to a disciplinary fine.
2:1 in the fourth match and 3-1 in the series. CSKA is one step away from its second Gagarin Cup in a row and can get a high-profile championship the day after tomorrow — April 25 in Kazan will be very loud. And, perhaps, tearfully: for some from happiness, for others — from grief. The end of the season is closer than ever.