In a dramatic conclusion to their Gagarin Cup semifinal series, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl emerged victorious over Avangard Omsk in a record-breaking overtime thriller. The decisive Game 7, held at Arena-2000-Lokomotiv in Yaroslavl, ended with a 4-3 scoreline in favor of the home team, securing their place in the Gagarin Cup final.
The contest will be remembered for its extraordinary duration, as it officially became the longest Game 7 in the history of the Kontinental Hockey League. The final buzzer sounded after 88 minutes and 31 seconds of total play, surpassing the previous benchmark. That prior record of 86 minutes and 31 seconds was set just last season in a second-round playoff series between these very same two franchises.
This epic encounter was a fitting climax to a hard-fought series between the two clubs. The victory propels Lokomotiv into the championship round, where they will compete for the Gagarin Cup. For Avangard, the loss marks the end of a resilient playoff run that fell just short in the final moments of a winner-take-all game.
The 2025/2026 playoff season has been notable for its extended contests. This particular Game 7 was the ninth match of the postseason to require more than one overtime period. That statistic ties the all-time record for most multi-overtime games in a single Gagarin Cup playoff year, a mark previously set back in 2014.
The intensity of the game underscored the high stakes of a Game 7, with both teams leaving everything on the ice. The record-setting length is a testament to the back-and-forth nature of the action and the defensive resilience shown by both squads when facing elimination.
Based on reporting from Чемпионат.com.