CSKA, Dynamo in front of first round sweep

Western Conference

Atlant Moscow Oblast (8) - SKA St. Petersburg (1) 3-1

Home side Atlant stood under a let of pressure before their first home match in the series against SKA after two bitter away losses and 0-8 goals. Right from the start of the game #3 it looked like this nightmare should continue. After only 57 seconds the puck entered the Atlant net for the first time already when Kevin Dallman used a pass by Tony Martensson to send his shot into the top right corner from a short distance. After a video review the goal could not be given though. Still the unavoidable was only postponed for a bit as Alexander Kucheryavenko scored at 02:17 and this time the goal counted. Despite the game being very open with multiple chances no more goals followed in the first period. At the start of the second Atlant risked more and were rewarded with a double within less than two minutes by Oleg Yashin and Andreas Engqvist - power play. The hosts played passionate playoff hockey now and were rewarded with the 3-1, also with a mand advantage, through Mikhail Glukhov at 36:48. During the last 20 minutes Atlant concentrated on defending the two-goal lead and they were successful in doing so. Now they could even tie the series tomorrow.

SKA lead 2-1 in the series

Lev Prague (7) - CSKA Moscow (2) 1-3

After two bitter 2-3 losses in overtime the Lions from Prague wanted to use their home advantage to get back into the series against CSKA Moscow. They were rewarded for their efforts with a goal by Jiri Novotny just 46 seconds into the first period. When goal scorer Novotny and Mikko Mäenpää sat in the penalty box their team survived a short 5 on 3 CSKA power play but the second penalty should turn out to have been decisive in this match. First Igor Ozhiganov scored the equalizer for CSKA at 28:12 in power play and only 39 seconds later the guests used the shock state of Lev for another one by Patrick Davis. A sniper shot by Nikolai Prokhorkin gave the guests from Russia even a 3-1 lead that they didn't lose anymore. For Lev the minimum goal now must be to at least send the series tomorrow back to Moscow for a 5th game and to avoid a sweep because this one they wouldn't deserve after these three close games.

CSKA Lead 3-0 in the series

Slovan Bratislava (6) - Dynamo Moscow (3) 2-4

In their first ever Gagarin Cup match on home ice Slovan Bratislava had the better start against the current title holders Dynamo Moscow and gained a 2-0 lead until the start of the second period through Mario Bliznak and Milan Kytnar. The joy about the second goal didn't last too long as Alexei Sopin answered for Dynamo only 52 seconds later at 23:48. Less than two minutes later Marek Kvapil used a high-sticking penalty against Tomas Mojzis to score the equalizer in power play. Not enough Dynamo's Dominik Granak and Jakub Petruzalek decided the match in favour of the guests even before the second intermission as Slovan never came back from this shock. It is very doubtful if Slovan are able tomorrow to fight back in this series but one thing is sure, that they will try it again.

Dynamo lead 3-0 in the series

Severstal Cherepovets (5) - Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (4) 3-2

It was the third game between the two teams in this series and for the third time the difference was only one goal. In an a match with more and better scoring opportunites for the hosts, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl twice went in front through Staffan Kronwall and Sergei Plotnikov for a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes. Mikhail Anisin had tied the match for Severstal in between. In the third period Severstal intensified their efforts again and came back through Stanislav Yegorshev at 50:38. With only 33 seconds left Nikita Alexeyev earned the game winner for Severstal after guest goalie Curtis Sanford had problems to save a rather harmless shot. He then skated to the bench for an additional skater but Lokomotiv couldn't change the result anymore so that the advantge now is on the side of Severstal.

Severstal lead 2-1 in the series

All 16 playoff teams will play tomorrow. The West will have its game no 4 and the East its game no 3.

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