Photo: Art Livak
Alex Semin is a champion.
Tuesday, the former Washington Capitals “Young Gun” and current 19-year-old Caps goaltending prospect Ilya Samsonov won the Gagarin Cup with Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Metallurg defeated CSKA Moscow at home in Game Seven, 3-1. The win comes after firing coach Mike Keenan part way through the season.
The Gagarin Cup is the KHL’s equivalent of the Stanley Cup. It is the same cup that Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom kinda-sorta technically won while they played in the KHL during the lockout shortened 2012-2013 NHL season. Semin scored 7 goals and put up 15 points in 23 playoff games en route to the final Game Seven victory. Samsonov was the backup goaltender throughout the playoffs, but he did post a 2-2 record in 6 appearances with a 2.29 GAA and a .916 save percentage.
Semin, whose attitude and hard work have long been questioned by fans and analysts, was seen bleeding from his face during the post-game celebration.
Photo: @KHL
This is an improvement from the 2012 World Championship, when Semin injured and bloodied himself with his own gold medal.
Semin signed a one-year deal with the Montreal Canadiens in the summer, but he lasted only 15 games before he was waived and asked to report to their AHL affiliate. Semin declined and returned home to Russia, signing for the remainder of the KHL season with Metallurg Magnitogorsk. He had 5 goals and 14 points in 20 regular season games.
Meanwhile, the mega-talented Samsonov won six games and posted a .925 save percentage during his first full season in the KHL.
Additional reporting to Nathan Burchfiel
