In a thrilling showdown at the Gagarin Cup playoffs, Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg edged out Ak Bars Kazan with a score of 4-3, leveling the series at one game apiece. The match, held on March 28, 2025, was a rollercoaster of emotions, showcasing both teams' tenacity and skill.
The game kicked off at 19:00 Moscow time, with the first period starting just two minutes later. Ak Bars, having won the first match of the series, came out strong, immediately putting pressure on Avtomobilist's goalie, Evgeny Alikin. Despite their early dominance, the Kazan team struggled to capitalize on their chances.
On the fifth minute, Ak Bars was awarded a power play opportunity, but they couldn't convert it into a goal. As the first period progressed, Avtomobilist found their rhythm, and by the 12th minute, they struck first. Brooks Macek made a slick pass from the corner to Alexander Sharov, who fired a shot past Ak Bars goalie Timur Bilyalov, marking his second goal of the series. Sharov had previously scored the only goal for Avtomobilist in the first game, proving to be a key player for his team.
As the period drew to a close, Avtomobilist took advantage of a penalty against Nikita Dyanyak, doubling their lead. A lengthy attack culminated in a goal from Nick Merkley, who redirected a pass from Alexei Byvaltsev into the net, bringing the score to 2-0.
The second period began with Avtomobilist once again on the power play, as Mitchell Miller was handed a double minor penalty. The hosts continued to apply pressure, and their efforts paid off when Macek scored again, extending their lead to 3-0. However, Ak Bars was not ready to back down. They began to find their footing, and on the 28th minute, a counterattack led to a shot from Stepan Falkovsky that finally broke through Alikin’s defenses, getting Kazan on the board.
Despite the setback, Avtomobilist quickly responded, with Danil Romantsev and Semen Kizimov nearly adding to their tally. The period ended with a flurry of action, but the score remained 3-1 in favor of Avtomobilist.
As the third period commenced, Ak Bars came out with renewed energy. They tightened their game and started creating more scoring opportunities. On the 44th minute, Kirill Semenov scored with a well-placed shot, narrowing the gap to 3-2. The Kazan team continued to press, and just moments later, Alexei Pustozerov and Eric O'Dell both had close calls, but Alikin held strong.
However, Avtomobilist responded swiftly. Byvaltsev and Stepan Khripunov executed a two-on-one breakaway, with Byvaltsev opting to shoot rather than pass, successfully extending the lead back to two goals at 4-2. But the excitement didn’t stop there. Just nine seconds after Avtomobilist’s goal, Dmitry Yaskin scored for Ak Bars during a power play, bringing the score to 4-3.
With time running out, Ak Bars pulled Bilyalov in a desperate attempt to equalize. They pressed hard in the final minutes, but Avtomobilist's defense held firm, denying Kazan any further scoring chances. The game concluded with the score at 4-3, tying the series at 1-1.
Despite the loss, Ak Bars showed resilience throughout the match, with coach Dmitry Kvartalnov emphasizing the importance of maintaining their competitive spirit. "We fought hard, and even though we came up short, we have to build on this performance for the next game," he said post-match.
Looking ahead, both teams will prepare for their next clash on March 30, 2025, in Kazan, where the stakes will be even higher. Fans can expect another intense battle as each team vies for an edge in the series.
