Loud sensation: the main favorite of the KHL on the verge of disaster! Lokomotiv at a dead end and can fly out long before the finals

Does Nikitin walk along the rake? “Lokomotiv” is an unconditional favorite of the Gagarin Cup. So he became almost immediately after he lost last year's final Metallurg. It was obvious that the team of Igor Nikitin would return and would become stronger. The signing of Alexander Radulov made it clear that the Yaroslavl people want to change. The acquisition of Kiselevich and panic made the railway workers even more experienced. The opening Cup allowed to take revenge on its offenders from Magnitogorsk. And the Continent Cup, which was led by a flat and powerful regular season, finally fixed the “Lokomotiv” in the status of the main Russian contender. And here is the “locomotive” on the edge of the abyss … … How did Lokomotiv find this point? How, having passed the Torpedo with their eyes closed and leading 3-1 at the Vanguard, Yaroslavls reached the seventh game, where everything could happen? Literally, any ricot is able to again break the hopes of the hockey Yaroslavl and calling into question all the four -year work of Igor Nikitin. He built, built, and now this building can be destroyed by a blow of wind from the Irtysh. However, we will not run ahead. We will talk about the future of this project if the match No. 7 is not in favor of Lokomotiv. In the meantime, we try to understand what is the reason for such an unexpected intermediate outcome.Loshkarev Dmitry, Photo.khl.ru, despite the fact that Lokomotiv has already lost three matches in the series with the Vanguard, the misfire in the first game – behind brackets. The reasons for the failure in the starting meeting are understandable and explainable. Railways simply did not start. Having passed the Torpedo in economy, Nikitin's wards simply did not join the game of a different level of voltage. In fact, the playoffs for them began with the second round. This was confirmed by matches No. 2 and No. 3. In these games, Lokomotiv issued crazy speeds and, as a result, the pressure that the Avangard could not cope with. Yaroslavl literally moved the opponent, preventing him from raising their heads. As it turned out, to carry out the entire series in this mode – it is impossible. It is possible with the “gasoline”, which ends with Nikitin's wards, you can connect changes in their game. Unless in the first period of the fourth match they looked like themselves and transferred the Vanguard-16-2. But the score was never opened. And in the future, the “hawks” began to gradually, step by step to pull the initiative on themselves. The second period is equal, the third is with an advantage, and in overtime it seemed that the owners of the Omsk Arena were about to wait for the favorite. Instead, the attachment of the triples happened, and Radulov, who jumped out of the shift, thrust the puck into the goal of Nikita Serebryakov.Loshkarev Dmitry, Photo.khl.ru Lokomotiv in overtime was not the most logical, but as it might seem to be a turning point. To score when the opponent has an advantage and win when you show not the best game – the handwriting of the champion team. Isn't it true? However, if someone expected that the Vanguard, having given his match, would release his hands and voluntarily go on vacation, then in vain. In Yaroslavl, they made 28 blocks and literally survived in the third period, but still survived. The problems that Lokomotiv began in Omsk developed on home ice. Nikitin could not cope with them in the sixth game of the series. It is impossible to say that railway workers are completely inferior to Omsk in physics. On the eve of Lokomotiv used a nearby factor and locked the Vanguard in its zone. And the wards of Nikitin won the neutral puck just thanks to physical data and condition. However, this lasted about 6–7 minutes in the second period and did not lead to the result. It is more likely to say that the teams were trimmed in speeds and now Lokomotiv does not look like the same train that flies along the rails and knocks down everything that gets in his way. And without this option, the winners of the regular championship become a rather predictable team. A primitive – this is that every now and then prevents the “locomotive” to win. Nikitin invites Radulov, refreshes the composition of the youth, but his branded straightforwardness is now and then for the green shoots from under the asphalt. A similar stupor sometimes advanced among the Yaroslavls in the regular season, but two defeats in a row are an unacceptable luxury for the team that marks the champions. If you look at the throws card in match number 6, you can be horrified. There is only one throw from the heel, one of the slot and two from the long distance, but from a comfortable position. All.It is amazing that Nikitina, who works with Lokomotiv, is tactically replayed by GI BUSHE, who accepted the Vanguard six months ago. Before the start of the series, it seemed that if the Omsks prevailed over the Yaroslavls, then thanks to Tkachev, Bush, Okulov and their creative. They will outplay, not process. Instead, the “avant -garde” acts against the “locomotive” by his own methods: tolerates, tolerates and suffers. The Siberians push their opponent to the corners, allow you to throw it from the blue line, but they are completely not allowed to the gate. And when necessary, they use rare chances, including in the majority. Here is the skill of the forwards of the “Vanguard” and manifests itself. “Lokomotiv” and “Avangard” awaits the second seventh match in two years. Last spring, the Yaroslavl achieved their own, having won 2-0 in Omsk. But then the seventh match itself became possible thanks to emergency changes on the shop of the “hawks”. The resignation of Mikhail Kravts in the course of the series gave a charge of emotions of the Omsk team. Now they have recouped not on emotions, but thanks to the cold calculation. Canadian Boucher drove the Yaroslavl armored train to a dead end and did not blink an eye. However, if Lokomotiv closes the first that did not happen to him in the last three games, everything can turn over, and the outlined trend will turn into a mirage. Only for this to the Yaroslavl remains to be hoped. Otherwise – disaster. Read more materials about Lokomotiv