After more than a week's break, CSKA's playoffs resumed with a second-round match against Avangard. The roster for the game in Omsk was the same as the one that finished the series against SKA. Only Klim Kostin and Denis Guryanov swapped lines. Dmitry Gamzin was in playing in the net.
The Army Men started the first few minutes with a bang. Alexei Churkin made a strong run at the net and forced a foul on former CSKA player Marsel Ibragimov. Our team put pressure on their opponents on the power play but couldn't score. Then Avangard began to seize the initiative and create chances near the CSKA goal. Gamzin made several solid plays, but while shorthanded, he was unable to save Konstantin Okulov's shot. The Army Men improved in the second half of the first period, but at crucial moments they were missing just one precise move—a final pass or a good shot. At one point in the second period, CSKA increased the pressure in the offensive zone and increased their shooting activity. It seemed the Army Men had found their game, and the power play could have helped. It started promisingly, but after a turnover in the offensive zone, our team missed a quick counterattack that resulted in a goal. In the third period, our team created the most dangerous moments at the end, when they switched to a six-man attack. However, our players were unable to find the target, and the opponent's shot into an empty net sealed the game. The next match will be held in Omsk on April 10.
