It was inevitable. Like Alexander the Great across from Darius III at Issus(333)-Mikhail
Naumenkov shaking hands with Pavel Datsyuk before the opening face off of Game One of the
Western Conference Final-Tarasov's best vs Bobrov's best-CSKA vs SKA.
For the third time in the last four seasons the giants of the Russian hockey world meet on
March 29th to begin their epic struggle. There is nothing quite like this series anywhere else on
the planet.
The ''Mother of All playoff Series'' pits the most dynamic team in the universe, SKA, and
the most accomplished team, CSKA, in the history of professional ice hockey. Think not? SKA
ended the 56-game regular season with 40 wins, 7 OTWs, 4 OTLs, and 5 loses. These army men
from Saint Petersburg scored 227 goals and gave up 97 leaving them at +130!!! while picking up
138 points. CSKA wasn't too bad at all with 35 wins, 9 OTWs,1 OTL and 11 loses while scoring
175 goals and giving up only 89 goals resulting in a +86 and gaining 124 points. The goaltenders
are equally impressive-Mikko Koskinen(SKA-29g, 1,716.12m, 24-4-4, 45ga, 15 so, .931 sv%, 1.57 gpg) and Ilya Sorokin(CSKA-37g, 2,182.35m, 25-8-4, 58 ga, 8 So, .931 sv%, 1.59 gpg). In
reference to + goal difference, the three teams alive in the Eastern Conference have -gds of +32
(AK Barys Kazan), +12(Salavat Yulaev UFA), and +8(Tracktor Chelyabinsk). The greatness of
CSKA?-please refer to 'Stick 'n Puck, KHL, No.1. It gives but a small taste of their glorious
history.
During the Confederation Cup(2017) ,the gateway to this year's World Cup in Russia,
the Argentine football great Maradona showed up at the SKA training facility and donned a
Russian national jersey. It might have been an appropriate presentment for this meeting of
the country's legendary teams who just can't seem to avoid one another-lucky fans and viewers!
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