Nizhny Novgorod's "Torpedo" lost to "Metallurg" in the first match of the 1/4 Gagarin Cup.

      April 9, 2026 19:30 SportsNizhny Novgorod's "Torpedo" suffered a defeat against Magnitogorsk's "Metallurg" in the first match of the Gagarin Cup playoff series. The meeting at the start of the second round took place in Magnitogorsk and ended with a score of 4:3 in favor of the home team.

      The first period was dominated by "Metallurg." The hosts actively engaged in the game and opened the scoring just five minutes into the first period. Less than three minutes later, the Magnitogorsk team increased their lead to 2:0, setting a high pace that the Nizhny Novgorod team found difficult to adapt to.

      "Torpedo" managed to hold out in a "5 on 3" format, and then received a similar numerical advantage. The guests took advantage of this opportunity: Vladislav Firstov hit the net of Alexander Smolin, reducing the deficit to a minimum — 2:1. The assists were credited to Amir Garaev and Bogdan Konyushkov. Soon, Vasily Atanasov restored parity and brought Nizhny Novgorod back into the game.

      In the second period, "Metallurg" took the lead again — in the eighth minute, the score became 3:2. Just a minute later, the hosts regained a two-goal advantage. However, five minutes before the break, "Torpedo" narrowed the gap: Firstov scored his second goal, making it 4:3. Anton Sizov recorded the assist, while Konyushkov noted his second assist of the match.

      In the final twenty minutes, Alexey Isakov's team tried to save the game and even replaced the goalkeeper with a sixth skater, but they could not equalize the score.

      Thus, "Metallurg" leads the series — 1:0. The second match will take place on April 11 in Magnitogorsk. After that, the confrontation will continue in Nizhny Novgorod: games are scheduled for April 13 and 15.

      It was previously reported that the longest match in MHL history took place in Nizhny Novgorod the day before. 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+