Metallurg, Alex Semin capture second KHL title in three years

Six months after firing Mike Keenan as their head coach, Metallurg Magnitogorsk claimed their second Gagarin Cup in three years.

As they did in 2014 when winning their first KHL title, Metallurg went the distance, this time defeating Alex Radulov and CSKA 3-1 in Game 7, meaning former NHLers Wojtek Wolski (again) and Alex Semin (15 points in 22 playoff games) are champions, and Evgeni Malkin is a happy man.

Sergei Mozyakin was named MVP after posting 25 points in 22 games.

With the score tied 1-1 late in the second period, Chris Lee gave Metallurg the lead for good.

Down 2-1 with under a minute to play in the third period and their net empty, CSKA pressed, but defenseman Bogdan Kiselevich couldn’t get control of the puck, which allowed Evgeny Timkin to force a turnover and pot the insurance tally for his second of the night.

Then it was all about watching the clock tick down to 0:00.

Metallurg finished second in the KHL’s East Division with 103 points and powered their way through the Gagarin Cup playoffs to get to the final. They had a chance to close out the series in Game 6, but a second straight overtime game ended in CSKA’s favor, setting up the do-or-die seventh and final game.

- - - - - - -

Sean Leahy is the associate editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Sean_Leahy

MORE FROM YAHOO HOCKEY: