In the 2010/11 season, Lokomotiv terrified rivals: the attack of the Yaroslavl club was one of the most powerful in the league. Thanks to the bright combinational hockey, the railroaders finished in first place in the Western Conference in the regular season.

Yaroslavl made some noise in the playoffs, especially remembered for their game in the semifinals of the Gagarin Cup. They still did not reach the final stage of the tournament, but the fans believed that next season their favorites would bring the trophy to Yaroslavl.

However, the team’s legendary comeback in the semi-finals was the last in the team’s history…

“Hockey Barcelona”

The KHL in the 2010/11 season was a very competitive and spectacular league, thanks in part to Lokomotiv, which showed a sharp and adventurous game. Because of the chemistry within the links and tricky combinations, journalists often called the railroad workers “hockey Barcelona.” This is a great merit of the head coach Vladimir Vuitek, who led Lokomotiv during the season. The Czech specialist completely changed the style of the Yaroslavl club. The team went off the rails of straightforward hockey and concentrated more on creativity in attack.

These changes have pleased not only the fans from Yaroslavl, but also all fans of the KHL. The attacking hockey of Lokomotiv helped the team to win people’s love, but at the same time it gave results. Lokomotiv finished the regular season in third place, losing only to Avangard and Salavat Yulaev, and became one of the highest-scoring teams in league history, scoring as many as 202 goals in the season.

Photo: © KHL / Grigory Sokolov

Nevertheless, the concept of Pan Vuitek had one drawback: the Yaroslavl club often forgot about defense. However, in the regular season it was not so noticeable – Lokomotiv finished in first place in the Western Conference. But already in the playoffs, the problems of the railroad in defense became obvious.

Not the most reliable game in defense led to the fact that Lokomotiv was greatly delayed in the first round. It took the railroad workers all seven matches to get past Dynamo Minsk, which finished the regular season in eighth place. But in the second round, Pan Vuitek’s team went through Dynamo Riga. The Latvian club could not find an antidote to Lokomotiv’s attacks, having won only one victory in the series.

Historical duel with Atlant

As a result, Lokomotiv reached the final of the Western Conference, where Atlant was waiting for it. The path to this stage for the Moscow Region club also turned out to be difficult. The Mytishchi team first beat Severstal in six matches, and then won in the seventh match in the series against SKA.

And yet, before the start of the final of the West, Lokomotiv was considered the favorite – many fans of the Yaroslavl club had already seen their favorites in the final. However, “Atlant” managed to take advantage of the weak play of the railroad in defense. In the first match of the confrontation, the Moscow Region club unexpectedly defeated Lokomotiv – 6:1.

Pan Vuytek’s attacking hockey did not work against the pragmatic Atlanta, which was more reverent about defense. The railway workers failed to adjust to the opponent’s hockey, and Atlant sensationally led the series 3-0.

At the same time, the Yaroslavl club also faced total bad luck. In the third match, when Atlant had a delayed removal, a curious goal flew into the gates of Lokomotiv. Team forward Gennady Churilov in the attack zone gave to the blue line, but there was no defender there, and the puck rolled to the empty goal of Yaroslavl.

Photo: © KHL / Yury Kuzmin

However, the railroad went through a lot and could not give up so easily. And Lokomotiv took the fourth match of the series. And the confrontation itself returned to Yaroslavl again. It seemed that in the native stands, the team of Pan Vuitek should turn the tide of the series. But the Yaroslavl club did not play well again.

First, Atlanta forward Sergei Mozyakin opened the scoring in the first period, and then the guests converted the majority in the second. Before the start of the final 20 minutes at the Arena-2000, the fans seemed to no longer believe in a miracle: the team was one step away from relegation. Lokomotiv nevertheless managed to mobilize and spent almost all the remaining time in the attack. But the first goal in the game was scored only in the middle of the period – Ivan Tkachenko became the author of the abandoned puck.

And then Atlant finally went into deep defense and coped with all the opponent’s throws. This continued until the last seconds of the third period. By this point, railroad fans had forgotten about the timer on the scoreboard and were closely watching the rapidly developing attack of their favorites. Pavol Demitra shot hard for a fiver, and Alexander Galimov immediately sent the puck into the goal. Real madness began at the Arena-2000: the fans were beside themselves with joy and congratulated each other, although there was still overtime ahead.

Extra time lasted almost 10 minutes, until the same Tkachenko managed to get away from two rivals and score the winning goal – 3:2, Lokomotiv’s victory. This match was called by journalists and fans one of the best over the past few years. Then everyone believed that Lokomotiv was able to win the confrontation.

Contrary to the expectations of the fans, Atlant won the sixth meeting, earning a ticket to the Gagarin Cup final. Fans of the Yaroslavl club called their favorites heroes and believed that Lokomotiv would reach the cup next season. However, the epic fifth match of the series was the last official meeting for those railroad workers in their native stands … At once 13 hockey players from this squad on September 7 were on board the same plane.