Nizhny Novgorod's "Torpedo" advanced to the second round of the Gagarin Cup.

      March 31, 2026 21:59 SportsNizhny Novgorod's "Torpedo" concluded the series with "Severstal" with a victory in the fifth match and secured their advancement to the second round of the KHL playoffs. The meeting in Cherepovets ended with a score of 4:3 in favor of the guests.

      The hosts started the game actively, trying to open the scoring from the first minutes. In the 9th minute, the sixth shot on target hit the mark — the puck ended up in the net of Denis Kostin.

      However, "Severstal's" advantage did not last long. About half a minute later, a penalty shot was awarded against the Cherepovets team for delaying the opponent with a stick. Vladimir Tkachev confidently converted the attempt and equalized the score. A minute and a half later, the forward scored again, completing a double and putting "Torpedo" ahead — 2:1.

      The second period began with Nizhny Novgorod in the minority, but they managed to hold on. Already in the fourth minute, Sergey Goncharuk increased the lead — 3:1.

      At the end of the third period, "Severstal" pulled their goalie and, playing with six men, managed to reduce the deficit. However, the guests took advantage of the empty net, and Goncharuk completed his double. A minute and a half before the buzzer, the Cherepovets team got closer to their opponent again — 3:4, but could not save the match.

      In addition to the doubles by Tkachev and Goncharuk, defenseman Bobby Nardella also contributed, recording two assists (0+2).

      The series ended with a score of 4:1 in favor of Nizhny Novgorod. "Torpedo" advanced past the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 2023 and reached the quarter-finals of the Gagarin Cup for the fourth time in the club's history.

      "Until now, I have been saving my words, but now I say: I am proud of you," said head coach Alexey Isakov in the locker room.

      The opponent for the Gorky team in the next round will most likely be Magnitogorsk's "Metallurg."

      It was previously reported that "Torpedo-Gorky" was eliminated from the playoffs. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has a Telegram channel. Subscribe to stay updated on the main events, exclusive materials, and operational information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod." When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+