2015/16 KHL Western Conference Final: 1) CSKA Moscow VS. 6) SKA St. Petersburg

As is standard procedure for the playoffs, this post will cover the entire series.

Game 1: CSKA Ice Palace, Moscow, Russia. In goal: Mikko Koskinen for SKA and Ilya Sorokin for CSKA. Moscow began in the first period with a Roman Lyubimov goal, assisted by Ivan Telegin. CSKA added on in the second period with an unassisted Stephane Da Costa power play goal. Moscow extended the lead in the third period as Dmitry Kugryshev scored an empty net goal, set up by Telegin and Lyubimov. This made it a 3-0 final, with the three stars being Sorokin (27 save shutout), Lyubimov, and Telegin. CSKA has a 1-0 series lead now.

Game 2: CSKA Ice Palace, Moscow, Russia. In goal: Mikko Koskinen for SKA and Ilya Sorokin for CSKA. St. Petersburg got going in the second period with a Steve Moses goal, via Vyacheslav Voynov and Jarno Koskiranta. Moscow tied it in the third period with a Geoff Platt goal, coming off of Nikita Zaitsev and Stephane Da Costa on the power play. SKA took the lead back with a shorthanded Koskiranta goal, set up by Maxim Chudinov and Alexander Dergachyov. CSKA tied it with another Plat goal, passed from Zaitsev and Alexander Radulov. Moscow took the lead with an unassisted Radulov power play goal. This held up for a 3-2 win, with the three stars awarded to Platt, Radulov, and Koskiranta, while Zaitsev gets an honorable mention. CSKA travels west with a 2-0 series lead.

Game 3: Ice Palace Saint Petersburg, St. Petersburg, Russia. In goal: Ilya Sorokin for CSKA and Mikko Koskinen for SKA. Moscow won 1-0 in triple overtime with a Geoff Platt goal, assisted by Simon Hjalmarsson. The three stars went to Sorokin (52 save shutout), Platt, and Koskinen (50 for 51 in saves). CSKA can advance in the next game if they can complete the sweep, but they've seen SKA like this before, and it didn't end well for them.

Game 4: Ice Palace Saint Petersburg, St. Petersburg, Russia. In goal: Ilya Sorokin for CSKA and Mikko Koskinen for SKA. Moscow led off in the first period with an Ivan Telegin goal, assisted by Roman Lyubimov and Grigory Panin. St. Petersburg tied it in the third period on an Anton Belov goal, made possible by Steve Moses and Yegor Yakovlev on the power play. CSKA won 2-1 in overtime with a Sergei Andronov goal, passed from Nikita Zaitsev. The three stars were awarded to Andronov, Sorokin (36 for 37 in saves), and Telegin. CSKA booked their ticket to the Gagarin Cup Final against a to-be-determined opponent.