Avangard defeated Lokomotiv 3:2 and equalized the score in the KHL playoff series
The second round of the Gagarin Cup qualifiers in the spring of 2024 becomes an extremely interesting and exciting event. Avangard simply breaks the system and equalizes the score in the battle against Lokomotiv, while Metallurg regularly beats Spartak in the match with eight goals. KP-Sport talks about what happened in the KHL on March 28, 2024, all the latest news.
On March 28, two matches of the quarterfinal series took place as part of the Gagarin Cup playoffs. First, in Magnitogorsk, Spartak lost with a score of 3:5. Among the winners, Danila Yurov scored twice (8th, 20th minutes), Denis Zernov (12th), Daniil Vovchenko (35th) and Egor Korobkin (55th) also scored. The visitors scored goals from Mikhail Maltsev (38), German Rubtsov (48) and Pavel Poryadin (52).
Well, a thriller happened in Yaroslavl. Lokomotiv, which seemed capable of “defeating” Avangard, lost in the sixth home match of the series with a score of 2:3. For Avangard, Igor Martynov (28th minute), Semyon Chistyakov (30th) and Nikolai Prokhorkin (40th) scored. Martin Gernat (20) and Maxim Shalunov (23) scored goals for Lokomotiv.
Zhamnov: “The game did not work”
After the defeat against Metallurg, Spartak head coach Alexei Zhamnov found it difficult to say what happened to the team. Because in the different matches of the series, the “red-whites” play differently in attack:
“The play didn’t work for us.” This is the result. I don’t know why there are different results in even and odd matches, I’m not a stargazer. Matches go differently, sometimes you can’t score, goalkeepers play very well and sometimes there is execution, hence the result,” Zhamnov said in the post-match press conference.
Spartak’s Pavel Poryadin was also laconic when speaking about the outcome of the match: “You can’t start a playoff match like that. You can’t miss so many things and make such mistakes. Losing 4:0, we still tried to go on goal and shoot.
What happened to Avangard???
During the match that took place at the Yaroslavl Arena-2000, it seemed that everything was going in the direction that there would be no trip to Omsk. 2:0 in the 22nd minute and that’s it, the prospect of a vacation in Avangard. But no. It took Omsk just 12 minutes to take the lead thanks to goals from Martynov (27), Chistyakov (29) and Prokhorkin (39).
The resignation of Avangard’s head coach had an effect on Ryan Spooner. He had 2 assists in the sixth game. The 32-year-old Canadian, after the departure of Mikhail Kravets, has already scored 6 (1+5) points in this series. Before, there was nothing!
Everything will be decided during the match which will take place in Omsk on March 30. But after the match, Lokomotiv head coach Igor Nikitin in an interview with KHL-TV was laconic: “We just need to win the seventh game.”
Avangard was not afraid
For now, acting head coach of Avangard Sergei Zvyagin said that his team played fearlessly in the battle against Lokomotiv:
— A good match from our team, they played without fear. We had a lot of possession of the puck, scored an offensive goal at the very end of the period then another small mistake in the defensive zone. But this did not affect the mood of the guys in any way, they played even more fiercely in attack.
The goal at the beginning of the second period did not affect Avangard, the head coach of Omsk is sure:
“We said during the break that the goal would affect our charge and our unity and that we had to come out with confidence and the guys felt that they were playing well. So we saw that after the second goal it didn’t affect us at all.
When Zviagin was asked if he felt like he was making history, the coach was a little embarrassed. And he said that the main thing is what hockey players are doing now:
“I just don’t want anyone paying attention to me.” It’s not about me at all anymore; if anyone makes history, it’s the guys. They all lie down together on the ice. What is now in the locker room and on the bench is worth a lot.
Source: KP
Emma is a professional author and journalist, working at 247 News Update. With years of experience, she brings a unique perspective and in-depth analysis to her work.
