This Week in the KHL: March 21, 2012

Gagarin Cup semifinals continue in the KHL with several teams on the brink of reaching the Conference finals. Tones of one goal games with some beautiful goals and some stunning saves. The playoffs have been going on in the shadow of the Alexander Radulov move to the NHL but they are worth a watch.

Western Conference,

(1) SKA St.Petersburg vs (4) Atlant Moscow Region
(SKA leads series 3 - 2)

Goaltending has managed to keep Atlant in this series. Goaltender Konstantin Barulin has managed to give Atlant hope, he stole game five with 41 saves in a 3 - 1 win. SKA is far out playing Atlant in every game of this series, without Barulin this would have been a sweep. Lead by forward Vladimir Tarasenko who has 10 points in the playoffs, SKA has simply dominated the series. Atlant has found both of their wins at home, which could be a problem seeing as SKA has home ice advantage. Atlant must find away to help Barulin and get the job done on the road if they want to advance. SKA goaltender Jakub Stepanek  has done his job although he struggled in game five making 10 saves on 13 shots. If Barulin can come up big in game six, then Atlant has a fighting chance. Game six is live from St.Petersburg at 11:30am EST on Friday.

Konstantin Barulin

(2) Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod vs (3) Dynamo Moscow
(Dynamo Moscow Leads series 3 - 2)

A series of one goal games saw Dynamo Moscow take a series lead today. Game five was the only game that was decided by more than one goal with Torpedo dropping a 4 - 2 decision. This back and forth series has provided endless entertainment with two overtime games. Torpedo forward Mikhail Varnakov is leading the way offensively with 10 point in 9 playoff games. Dynamo Moscow has relied on solid goaltending from Alexander Yeryomenko who is averaging well under two goals against per game. Each team has won a game at home and on the road, splitting the series with the game five advantage going to Dynamo Moscow. Game six runs live from Nizhny Novgorod Friday at 11:30am EST.

Eastern Conference,

(1) Traktor Chelyabinsk vs (4) AK Bars Kazan
(Traktor leads 3 - 1)

Traktor has Kazan on the ropes with a chance to close out the series in five games. Kazan has managed to hang in there with the last three games being decided by a single goal. Traktor forward Evgeny Kuznetsov scored his first goal in the playoffs in game two and has netted a goal in each of the last three games. The series may be looking a lot differently had Kuznetsov not been able to play due to injury, he has proven to be to much for the Kazan defenders to handle. This is a hard hitting series with plenty of gritty forechecking. If Kazan is to extend their playoffs an extra day, they are going to have to find a way to shutdown Kuznetsov. Game five is Thursday in Chelyabinsk at 9am EST.

(2) Avangard Omsk Region vs (3) Metallurg Magnitogorsk
(Avangard leads 3 - 1)

Avangard forward Roman Cervenka

Avangard has won three straight games in the series after losing the opener to Metallurg. After a tough 1 - 0 loss in overtime in game one, Avangard has scored 13 goals in the last three games. Roman Cervenka has lead the way for Avangard with four goals and three assists in the club's three wins in the series. Cervenka sits atop the playoff leaders with 14 points and 8 goals. 20 year old Avangard defenseman Nikita Pivtsakin has been lethal in the series, scoring two goals in a 3 - 1 win in game three. Avangard is running on all cylinders and is proving to be to much for Metallurg to handle. Perhaps Metallurg is tiring after a gruelling seven-game quarterfinal. Game five runs Thursday in Magnitogorsk at 8am EST.