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With just a few days away from the end of regular season and start of KHL playoffs - we have finally learned the pairs of Eastern conference round 1, while in the West things are yet to be decided.

Puck drop for the playoffs will be on March 1st.

First round match-ups for round one of Gagarin Cup play-offs in the east:

(1) AkBars Kazan - (8) Neftehimik Nizhenkamsk

The clear favourite here is the AkBars side and I would expect them to go far into the playoffs.

(2) Barys Astana - (7) Metallurg Magnitogorsk

Barys clearly have impressed during the regular season while Metallurg struggled a lot. This series might go as far as seven games given the past experience of Magnitka.

(3) Avangard Omsk - (6) Salavat Julaev Ufa

Another series that will be worth following. Avangard Omsk with Bob Hartley at helm vs Ufa squad that never seems to stop being a contender.

(4) Avtomobilist Jekaterinburg - (5) Sibir Novosibirsk

A series that might end early despite both sides being close in the standings - Pavel Datsyuk and Avtomobilist will be the favorites.

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