On Sunday the KHL regular championship finished with 12 matches. And the first clashes of the Gagarin Cup eightfinals in the Western Division are to be held tomorrow.
The pairs of the Round of 16 are the following:
West: SKA (1 spot in the Division) vs. Dynamo Riga (8); HC MVD (2), CSKA (7); Dynamo Moscow (3) vs. Spartak (6); Atlant (4) vs. Lokomotiv (5).
East: Salavat Yulaev (1) vs. Avtomobilist (8); Metallurg Magnitogorsk (2) vs. Traktor (7); Ak Bars (3), Barys (6); Neftekhimik (4) vs. Avangard (5).
Many experts predict the two derbies to be the most interesting in the first play-offs round – the Moscow one, namely Dynamo vs. Spartak, and the Ural one, Magnitka vs. Traktor.
Will there be an intrigue in these matches? It depends not on the clear favourites – Dynamo and Magnitogorsk but on the troublemakers – Spartak and Traktor. Their head coaches eyed the coming derbies yesterday.
Milos Riha, head coach of Spartak: "Actually we did not care with whom to play in the first round whether it is Atlant or Dynamo. Both teams are strong opponents and matches against them always turn principal and dynamic."
"We have played Dynamo four times this season and they know perfectly well every Spartak player. This series is seems to be interesting. I only wish it will be fair play."
"We have won three matches out of four in the regular season against this opponent and of course it gives us a bit confidence but nothing more. In the play-offs everything starts from scratch and we must be prepared to anything."
"And I treat Dynamo favourites of the pair. After all it is not for nothing that they are to claim the Gagarin Cup."
"The last matches of Dynamo were held on the road and their supporters will expect a lot of them on the home ice. That should prove an additional psychological burden for the team. On the other hand this load may come in handy as it provides the players with great motivation."
"But we also want to advance to the next stage! The last year’s play-offs when we outplayed SKA showed that we are able to compete with serious opponents."
Andrey Nazarov, head coach of Traktor: "I feel that this season the team has not yet realized all its potentials and we reached the play-offs with a five-loss series. So all my thoughts now concern the possible solution of the situation."
"Magnitka is a machine-team without weak points! Everything is ok with the speed, transmission, drag and design."
"It is not good time to disclose our secrets about the way we are going to resist Metallurg but our coaching staff has something up its sleeve."
"We should pay special attention to the entire team. To Sergey Fedorov, to their cunning Czechs headed by Marek, to the excellent goalies, to the experienced defenders. And do not forget about the coach."
"We have good youth though they do not win a lot in MHL. But in the play-offs the veterans are to lead to the battle – Nikolishin, Piganovic, Sazonov, Alistratov who is already a long-term resident despite his youth."
"We could have played against Salavat Yulaev in the eightfinals but I cannot say that would have been better. I see that the coaching staff of the Ufa team is under great pressure after the Olympics but that could be a stimulus."
"I think our derby will be very interesting, a real hockey battle. I hope that in the play-offs we will improve our statistics."
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