The KHL playoffs began on Tuesday with the West Conference games, which means Lokomotiv was up first. The KHL alternates East and West, with four games going in each conference in the first round. Vladimir Tkatchyov is in action in the East conference for Ak Bars, but there is no sign of Nikolai Chebykin on Dynamo Moscow.
So far, there are few surprises. The East teams, who are playing their third games today, have three series at 2-0 with only the fourth and fifth placed teams splitting theirs. Ak Bars is facing their rival Salavat Yulaev, and both games have been very close, as expected with two low-scoring teams with good goalies.