The favorites in the race for the Gagarin Cup look S.K.A. And CSKA said the former head coach of the Russian national hockey team Vladimir Krikunov.
– I think Ak Bars is the favorite in the East. Despite the fact that Avangard is a good team, there are no words. At the head of “Ak Bars” is an experienced Bilyaletdinov, but experience cannot be bought. Both teams have roughly the same goalkeepers. But Ak Bars plays such hockey that it’s not so easy to break through their defense.
As for the West, CSKA got 14 games. They played seven games each with Cherepovets and Yaroslavl, of course, some fatigue is building up. CSKA has been working for a long time and there was almost a failure, only in the seventh game Yaroslavl was knocked down. Of course, the team needed a rest before the playoffs. But still, it’s the final, and here emotions will play a big role. At the same time, it is clear that SKA is going after the Cup, they have rested and will be fresher, more fun. It’s hard to name a favorite here. CSKA are more experienced and SKA did a good job of selecting them. And in terms of composition, SKA is probably stronger, but in spirit – CSKA. SKA is hungry and goes for the Cup. I don’t know which to give preference here.
The favorites in the race for the Gagarin Cup are SKA and CSKA. The Cup will be in the West,” Krikunov told Metaratings.ru.
On April 1, a match in Kazan between Ak Bars and Avangard kicks off the semi-finals of the KHL playoffs. SKA and CSKA will start their series in St. Petersburg on April 2.
Watch live broadcasts of the Fonbet KHL Championship playoff matches on the federal channel and thematic channels of the holding, as well as on the matchtv.ru and sportbox.ru websites.
Metaratings.ru
Source : MatchTV
I’m Emma Smith, a dedicated journalist and avid storyteller. I have been writing for news websites for the past 5 years, reporting on hockey news and delivering in-depth analysis of the sport. In my current role as Author at Athletistic, I write about hockey events from around the world to keep followers up-to-date with what’s happening in the sport.
