The only team to ever lift the Gagarin Cup has gone down in Ufa, 2-1. It could all be over for them on Tuesday if Salavat Yulaev can win again on the home ice.
Russia’s international Oleg Saprykin scored an overtime winner for Vyacheslav Bykov’s team to put defending KHL champions Ak Bars on the verge of exiting in this year’s tournament.
The Kazan side is now trailing 3-0 in their best-of-seven series with their old rivals.
Meanwhile, regular season top dogs Avangard were involved in a tough tussle with Metallurg before letting rip in the final third, hitting four goals without reply to secure their first win in that series.
The final score was 6-3 in Magnitogorsk, which means Jaromir Jagr and Co. are now 2-1 down in the series.