Pre-final chord: who will win the Gagarin Cup

The second round of the KHL playoffs starts on April 8. The current Gagarin Cup winner, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, will play with Salavat Yulaev Ufa, and Avangard Omsk will play with CSKA. A day later, the confrontation starts in pairs Metallurg (Magnitogorsk) – Torpedo (Nizhny Novgorod) and Dynamo (Minsk) – Ak Bars (Kazan). Before the bright ice battles, our authors not only gave forecasts for each series, but also suggested how the playoffs would develop further - until the finals.

Forecast by Mikhail Zislis. The winner is Metallurg

The second round

Lokomotiv – Salavat Yulaev – 4-1

Avangard – CSKA – 4-2

Metallurg – Torpedo – 4-1

Dinamo Minsk – Ak Bars – 4-2

1/2 finals

Lokomotiv – Avangard – 2-4

Metallurg – Dinamo Minsk – 4-2

The final

Metallurg – Avangard – 4-3

The balance of power has not fundamentally changed after the first round of the Gagarin Cup. Only Dinamo Minsk proved in practice that the consequences of the conflict between the club's management and head coach Dmitry Kvartalnov were a thing of the past. The team is getting back in shape for the first half of the season and is ready to make some noise. Minsk residents are able to cope with Ak Bars, which is not in perfect condition.

There are clear favorites in the two quarterfinal pairs. The winners of their conferences, Metallurg and Lokomotiv, had to tinker a little with their opponents in the first round, which should be beneficial. With all due respect to Torpedo and Salavat Yulaev, it is still difficult to imagine how they will cope with the favorites.

Particular interest will be focused on the Avangard – CSKA series. The Omsk team both before the start of the playoffs and now looks like a favorite paired with the Army team. But in order for these expectations to become reality, she will need to raise her level of play. Neftekhimik lacked the individual skill to punish Avangard. The army men will not forgive themselves for such an attitude.

Mikhail Skryl's forecast. The winner is Avangard

The second round

Lokomotiv – Salavat Yulaev – 4-2

Avangard – CSKA - 4-2

Metallurg – Torpedo – 4-1

Dinamo Minsk – Ak Bars – 4-2

1/2 finals

Lokomotiv – Avangard – 3-4

Metallurg – Dinamo Minsk – 4-3

The final

Metallurg – Avangard – 3-4

Following the results of the first round, in which almost all the favorites won, the Gagarin Cup grid did not change much. Unless Metallurg got a more comfortable opponent than CSKA and will play with Torpedo. Magnitogorsk suffered with Siberia, and it won't be easy for them with Nizhny Novgorod. Alexey Isakov's team is able to capture one match due to the brilliant play of goalkeeper Denis Kostin or if they fly to beat the opponent and surpass him in a power struggle. Otherwise, Metallurg's chances are higher.

Lokomotiv did not convince in the series with Spartak that they are ready for big things this spring. However, the Yaroslavl team has a large margin of safety, and they should not even be in the best shape for Salavat Yulaev. Ufa residents are already heroes — they sent Avtomobilist on vacation, but Viktor Kozlov's team simply does not have enough high-quality performers to compete on equal terms with the current champion.

I have no doubt about Dinamo Minsk. Against Ak Bars, who, like Lokomotiv, were not convinced in the first round, the Belarusians should take the series due to the speed and reliable play of goalkeeper Zach Fucale. Similarly, Avangard: the series with CSKA will be tight, but Nikita Serebryakov and the Hawks' masters in attack should make the difference. But then Omsk residents, like a year ago, will have a meeting with Lokomotiv. This time, the Hawks will be the favorites.

Forecast by Artur Khairullin. The winner is Avangard

The second round

Lokomotiv – Salavat Yulaev - 4-2

Avangard – CSKA - 4-3

Metallurg – Torpedo - 4-1

Dinamo Minsk – Ak Bars - 2-4

1/2 finals

Lokomotiv – Avangard - 3-4

Metallurg – Ak Bars - 4-2

The final

Metallurg – Avangard - 3-4

Avangard had to work hard to get past Neftekhimik, but for me Omsk did not cease to be the main favorites of this playoff. Nizhnekamsk players forced Guy Boucher's team to work hard from the first match, and this should have a positive effect on Avangard — they simply did not succeed in any match. Unlike, for example, Magnitogorsk, which felt the resistance of Siberia only from the third match.

However, Avangard will have a tough series with CSKA in the second round, and few people will be surprised if Igor Nikitin's team goes further. But in the Metallurg and Torpedo series, the winner can be named in advance.

Before the start of the playoffs, I considered Dinamo Minsk to be the favorite in the series with Ak Bars. But now I'm betting on Kazan, even though Minsk residents passed Dynamo Moscow very confidently.

Lokomotiv will definitely be the favorite in the series with Salavat Yulaev, but Ufa must give the opponent a fight. Viktor Kozlov's team looks more powerful this season than last year, when they lost 1-4 in the semifinals. This time, Salavat should have at least two meetings.