Until the seventh match: what to expect from the second round of the KHL playoffs

On Friday, April 11, the quarterfinals of the Gagarin Cup will begin. Yaroslavl "Locomotive" will play with Omsk "Avangard", Moscow "Dynamo" — with Kazan "Ak Bars", Chelyabinsk "Traktor" — with Minsk "Dynamo", Ufa "Salavat Yulaev" — with Moscow "Spartak". The main intrigues of the upcoming round and forecasts for the outcome of the series can be found in the Izvestia article.

Salavat Yulaev – Spartak

Matches on April 11, 13, 15 and 17

Unlike other series, Ufa and Moscow welcomed their upcoming rivals with joy. There is no clear favorite in this pair, each team has weaknesses, and veterans with experience of big victories are also at a minimum. Therefore, you can play not only on your own trump cards, but also on the mistakes of the opponent, since neither Salavat Yulaev nor Spartak look like ideal machines for killing other people's cup hopes.

In the regular season, Ufa easily defeated the red and white twice (5:1 at home and 5:2 away). At the same time, the first round with Sibir revealed many pressing problems for Viktor Kozlov's team to expect a repeat of the previous scenario. Too much responsibility falls on the shoulders of the leaders, and their support is modest. Nathan Todd's injury deprived the team of a serious combat unit. The playing tone and balance of the lines speak in favor of Salavat, while depth in attack and psychological confidence speak for Spartak.

"We need to be more responsible about the majority of the game"

Severstal hockey player Alexey Kruchinin — on the weak realization of chances and chances to win back in the series with Spartak

It's important for Muscovites to pick up at least one away game right away. Their chances of eventual success increase if the series drags on. The quality of the game in the first round is difficult to transfer directly to the next stage. Against Severstal, Alexey Zhamnov's team was not always fully engaged and took dangerous liberties. If Spartak players solve at least the issue of concentration and the main goalkeeper Artyom Zagidulin performs well, they will gain an advantage. However, the protection clearly does not inspire confidence.

Izvestia forecast: 4-3

Lokomotiv – Avangard

Matches on April 11, 13, 15 and 17

Lokomotiv dealt with Torpedo in the first round without any problems — four matches were enough to advance to the next round. Igor Nikitin's team did not receive proper resistance, and its potential in the series was not even half revealed. Nevertheless, the confident passage of the Nizhny Novgorod team only confirmed the lofty ambitions of Lokomotiv. In the second round, Yaroslavl will face Avangard, which will cause much more problems. Omsk residents have already sent Metallurg, the current Gagarin Cup winner, on vacation, and now they are ready to do it with last year's finalist.

A series of two maximally organized teams awaits us. The only difference is that Nikitin has been instilling his system in Lokomotiv for four seasons, while Guy Boucher took over Avangard only in December. Nevertheless, the Canadian coach had enough time to restart the team. In the series with Metallurg, we saw a different Avangard: able to both endure and play the first number at a high tempo.

Zero balance: the reigning KHL champion risks being eliminated in the first round

Metallurg has lost three matches in a row, SKA can not cope with Dynamo

Omsk has an advantage in terms of attacking skills (especially if Vladimir Tkachev continues to decide how to play in overtime with Metallurg), but Yaroslavl must take its course due to a well-established system and balance between the lines. The safety margin of the Locomotive is higher than that of the Magnitogorsk. Anton Kuryanov also works at Nikitin's headquarters, and he is well aware of the details of Avangard. There is no doubt that the series will be delayed, and the railroad workers are seen as the favorite in it.

Izvestia forecast: 4-2

Traktor – Dynamo Mn

Matches on April 12, 14, 16 and 18

A few years ago, it was impossible to imagine a clash between Traktor and Dinamo Minsk in the playoffs. At least because the Belarusian team had never gone beyond the first round before this spring. However, now their confrontation may become one of the most interesting in the second round.

Right now, Dmitry Kvartalnov's team is creating a hockey boom in Belarus thanks to the synergy of a high-quality coaching system, cool foreign players, a talented local stratum, the playmaking abilities of Vadim Shipachev and the reliable game of Vasily Demchenko.

In the series with CSKA, Minsk showed that they are quite ready to go further. Dynamo has enough tactical flexibility, skill, physical readiness and character to really get along with the first team of Vostok, which spent a lot of effort in the Admiral series. However, Traktor's trump cards still look more serious. The question is whether Benoit Gru will be able not only to use them competently, but also to block the incredibly mobile, courageous and masterful attack of the Minsk residents. Chelyabinsk residents managed to pass the Admiral class. But with this Minsk, the difference in skill volume will be much less significant.

Izvestia forecast: 4-2

Dynamo – Ak Bars

Matches on April 12, 14, 16 and 18

Dynamo Moscow's series against SKA was the highlight of the first round of the playoffs and showed what Alexey Kudashov's team is capable of. Maxim Motorygin played his five matches well, but Vladislav Podyapolsky came out on the sixth and also looked great. The strong defenders of the blue and white allowed little to be done on their dime, and ahead of the opponents, both the technical Gusev and Wil, as well as the punchy Canadians Comtois and Puckett, created problems.

It was very difficult for Ak Bars to get through the first round — in the seventh match, Kazan suffered through Avtomobilist in the second overtime. The sudden changes in the game of the "leopards" are confusing: after the attacking extravaganza, they immediately gave out an absolutely bland match, and then they braved someone else's goal again. But at the most important moment, they showed character — in the playoffs, this is often more important than a stable game.

"In the first match against Dynamo, there were not enough chances to realize"

SKA hockey player Andrey Pedan — about the start of the KHL playoffs, the defeat at the beginning of the first round series and the opponent's game

Dynamo, under Kudashov's leadership, has never gone beyond the second round — perhaps this is the main thing that casts doubt on the cup prospects of the blue and white. But the selection of players in the team, especially in the lower ranks, is stronger, so in this pair the choice is still in favor of Dynamo.

Izvestia forecast: 4-3