CSKA Moscow today completed a stunning comeback in the 2022 Gagarin Cup Finals, overcoming a 3-1 series deficit to Metallurg Magnitogorsk to come back and capture their second Gagarin Cup after a 4-1 victory.

Down 3-1 in the finals to Metallurg, being shut out in Games 3 and 4 to be pushed to the brink of elimination, CSKA roared back with a Game 5 overtime victory and tight 2-1 Game 6 victory, with Game 7 being just the second multi-goal victory after the opening game. Ivan Fedotov pitched a 42 save victory, while goals from Pave Karnaukhov, Alexander Popov, Konstantin Okulov and Vladislav Kamenev spread out throughout the game were enough to put CSKA over the top and secure the 4-1 victory, and first title since 2019.

While members of Metallurg and CSKA would normally now join their national teams for the Beijer Hockey Games, the final stage of the 2021-22 Euro Hockey Tour, bans on Russian and Belarusian teams in IIHF competition means the majority of these players will now start their offseasons earlier than expected due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, the likes of Adam Reideborn, Klas Dahlbeck and Darren Dietz will likely go on to compete in Finland, which opens the World Championships on 13 May in Tampere and Helsinki.

Our congratulations go out to the players, management and fans of CSKA Moscow, with those on the roster that have also held the IHLC highlighted in bold:

Photo Credit: KHL – IIHF – HHOF – IOC