CSKA sweeps SKA
Sergei Andronov scored the winner when CSKA Moscow beat SKA St. Petersburg in overtime to win the KHL semifinals and qualify for the Gagarin Cup finals.
Last season
CSKA also had a 3-0 lead in the semis versus SKA, but then SKA won four in a
row for an unbelievable comeback. This year CSKA wouldn’t let that happen.
After wins
in the first three games also the fourth
started well for CSKA who took the lead after 9:06 when Ivan Telegin beat Mikko
Koskinen in the visitor’s net, assisted by Roman Lyubimov and Grogory Panin.
Following
the goal there elapsed a long time without any scoring, but eight minutes
before the end Anton Belov finally gave SKA some hope with an equalizer. CSKA
got a late powerplay when Alexander Barabanov got a minor penalty, but SKA got the game to overtime.
SKA had
three early shots on goal in the overtime period , but on the first CSKA shot
Sergei Andronov decided the game – and the series. CSKA made it to the Gagarin
Cup finals! It is still not decided who they get to meet there. Metallurg
Magnitogorsk leads 2-1 over Salavat Yulayev Ufa in the other semifinal series.