KHL Eastern Conference Final: 1) Metallurg Magnitogorsk VS. 3) Ak Bars Kazan

This is one of the conference finals in the KHL season, pitting Eastern foes Metallurg Magnitogorsk against Ak Bars Kazan for a trip to the Gagarin Cup.

Game 1: Arena Metallurg, Magnitogorsk, Russia. In goal: Emil Garipov of Ak Bars and Vasily Koshechkin of Metallurg. Kazan got going in the second period with a Fyodor Malykhin power play goal, powered by Atte Ohtamaa. Magnitogorsk tied it on a Danis Zaripov goal, via Viktor Antipin and Sergei Mozyakin. Metallurg won 2-1 in double overtime with a Mozyakin goal, assisted by Chris Lee and Jan Kovar. The three stars were Mozyakin, Koshechkin (48 for 49 in saves), and Garipov (47 for 49 in saves).

Game 2: Arena Metallurg, Magnitogorsk, Russia. In goal: Emil Garipov of Ak Bars and Vasily Koshechkin of Metallurg. Magnitogorsk opened in the first period with an Evgeny Timkin goal, assisted by Yaroslav Kosov and Yaroslav Khabarov. Metallurg added on with a Danis Zaripov goal, guided in by Sergei Mozyakin and Jan Kovar in the second period. This stood for a 2-0 win, with the three stars given to Koshechkin (30 save shutout), Timkin, and Zaripov. Metallurg leaves home leading the series 2-0.

Game 3: TatNeft Arena, Kazan, Russia. In goal: Vasily Koshechkin for Metallurg and Emil Garipov for Ak Bars. Kazan started in the first period with a Justin Azevedo power play goal, powered by Jiri Sekac and Albert Yarullin. Magnitogorsk tied it on a Sergei Mozyakin power play goal in the second period, assisted by Chris Lee and Danis Zaripov. Ak Bars took the lead with a Mikhail Glukhov goal in the third period, going in unassisted. Metallurg retied it on a Zaripov goal, passed from Lee and Jan Kovar. Magnitogorsk took the lead on another Zaripov goal, made possible by Viktor Antipin and Kovar. This made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars being Zaripov, Kovar, and Lee. Metallurg leads the series 3-0, getting a chance to advance in two days. 

Game 4: TatNeft Arena, Kazan, Russia. In goal: Vasily Koshechkin for Metallurg and Emil Garipov for Ak Bars. Magnitogorsk struck first in the first period with a Jan Kovar power play goal, powered by Sergei Mozyakin and Chris Lee. Metallurg added on with a Viktor Antipin power play goal, with assists provided by Mozyakin and Kovar. Kazan got on the board with a Jiri Sekac goal, passed from Albert Yarullin and Justin Azevedo. Magnitogorsk replied with an unassisted Mozyakin goal in the second period. Metallurg extended the lead as Denis Platonov scored, thanks to Denis Kazionov in the third period. The game ended 4-1, with the three stars given to Mozyakin, Kovar, and Koshechkin (32 for 33 in saves). Metallurg swept the series 4-0, and will play against SKA St. Petersburg for the Gagarin Cup.

Follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0.