Former Russian national team head coach Vladimir Krikunov has shared his thoughts on the favorite in the ongoing Gagarin Cup final series between Lokomotiv Yaroslavl and Ak Bars Kazan.
— Who do you consider the favorite in the final series?
— I’d say it’s 50/50. Ak Bars have stepped up dramatically in the playoffs, started scoring, and Bilyalov has been excellent in goal. Yaroslavl are last year’s champions, and they pulled off two incredible games in the semifinals against Avangard — down by two goals with no hope, and they still took the series. Those experiences always build mental toughness, especially when you win Game 7, — Krikunov said in an exclusive interview with Championat columnist Pavel Panyshev.
The Gagarin Cup final between Lokomotiv and Ak Bars kicks off soon in Yaroslavl.