SKA – in the finals! – SPORT – EXPRESS

CHL. Gagarin Cup. 1/2 finals. The seventh match .

On Tuesday, SKA, taking precedence over CSKA Moscow (3: 2), became the first club in the country’s history, who managed to win the series, giving it first 0-3

The St. Petersburg miracle / /
Ilya Kovalchuk: “What between us with Radulov could be a problem?”

Andrey Kuznetsov

NHL hockey in Hollywood with his flip cup series from 0-3 to 4-3 waited for 25 years. In the CHL same ice fairy tale took just seven years after the founding of the league.

Well, to paraphrase the slogan of the main sponsor of the St. Petersburg club magician: “Dreams come true.” This seventh match was for CSKA Neva.

The history of SKA began in 1946. Was first long, and then it got very bright. There was no recall, no CHL season in which Neva CSKA would not be considered superfavoritami playoffs. A real contender for the Gagarin Cup.

And no one season in which they have lived at least until the final, was not there. And now – there. Do not be surprised if on Wednesday night with fireworks shot Peter and Paul, and at the Palace all night singing hymns of his army team. Write hockey incredibly beautiful fairy tale!

For the sake of which, in fact, back in the CHL Kovalchuk. Three years ago, losing with his “New Jersey” Stanley Cup Finals, who left the dream of overseas club trophy. And on Tuesday cast assists approached the new career rate – Russian club trophy.

For the sake of this tale in the CHL and the Bulls back.

“SE” for six consecutive years repeating any number of superstars – does not guarantee the final, if over stars not worth supertrener. St. Petersburg compositions of previous years were no dimmer current. Yashin in 2010 was better than today Kovalchuk, Tikhonov in 2013 not paler today Panarin. Did Afinogenov, Artyuhin, Sushinskiy and Tarasenko were less worthy of the status of “team player-finalist” than Chudinov, Shipachev, Dadonov and Thoresen?

Of course not. Just six years earlier SKA went for the Gagarin Cup with Smith, Zanatta or Yalonenom. A commander of the elite was only in the last offseason. Solitaire formed. To trump king-jack ace was added. At the end of the “West” in the coaching outplayed his counterpart Kvartalnova.

In contrast CSKA coach, the Bulls guessing unmarked. Muscovites headquarters during the conference finals jerked his goalkeepers constant rotation. Lack of confidence and turned failures Galimov and Lalande. And at the right time – yesterday Belarusian Canadian hosts missed and curious, after surges from the blue line. Remember the winning goal with a crawl for ribbon washer. Koskinen is the second part of the series was a key part of the St. Petersburg mechanism. First, giving the team a chance in the sixth game, then in the seventh, then … you know.

Unlike Kvartalnova, the Bulls had a plan “B”. In his defense sank even triple Radulov. His attack in five of seven matches looked brighter champion. His Kovalchuk from game to game looked stronger. His Panarin played brightly as ever. His third link sacrificed as you need in the playoffs, at the right time. In overtime, the sixth match. Ten minutes before the end of the seventh.

Unlike Kvartalnova Bykov finely felt psychology rival in the series. One example: in the match number 7 Radulov hockey began the evening with a couple of attempts to fight with Kovalchuk – link “Legends 17″ on the bench immediately withdrew the head coach. Mentor as CSKA got the feeling their energy is not fed, and burn through the wards. Until the fear of making a mistake. To tremble at the knees.

In the end of the second period, the senior coach of SKA Igor Zaharkin nervously wiping glasses. Zashkalilo to champion “pondus” Radulov visibly and tangibly turned the match in favor of the hosts. Goal, pass the volcano of emotions on the bench – all this set superstar striker started the team on the afterburners. SKA previous years in clashes with rival dried oars and held up his hand. Someday we will tell what words found for his fighters to break the Bulls. But they were able to extinguish the ardor of the hosts. With Olympian calm even the most nervous spending in the history of the Gagarin Cup ending seventh game.

In Kvartalnova no one will take the title of “Champion of Russia” -2015. As the title of “one of the main characters of the seventh season of the CHL.” Then just went more experienced, sophisticated and shelled. The one with the cup win science simply sign yet more.

In the notes, looking forward to the start of a series of CSKA – SKA, this writer suggested that the legendary Viktor Tikhonov from somewhere in the upper tier of heaven stands will be rooting for Something to own team and the team of his native grandson play to the seventh meeting. At a time when this is the seventh meeting ended on Tuesday Leningradke, I looked at Viktor Jr., drums happy with his fist on the glass. And he thought that his grandfather in this evening Vyacheslav Bykov just would not be offended.

CSKA chance of victory in the Russian playoffs get more than once. But in hockey where such opportunities are rare. Now the successor of the renowned dynasty, Tikhonov-grandson, is just four wins away from the coveted Gagarin Cup.

Together with the rest of the team Bykov. Unattainable for Russian first playoff hockey tale which turned yesterday in profit. A long-term pain of the St. Petersburg the cup – in happiness.