Coach Fired in the Middle of a Playoff Series and Replaced by Goaltending Coach

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TJ Tucker
March 19, 2024 (9:18)

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The KHL has outdone itself once again after a team fired its head coach after game 2 of a 7 games playoff series

Just when you think you've heard it all when it comes to pro hockey, along comes the KHL with another surprise. This time, a team has fired it's head coach mid-playoff series after a big loss.

Avangard Omsk lost 7-0 in game two of their second round playoff series against Yaroslavl Lokomotiv. That followed a 4-0 loss in game one, and Omsk is now behind in the series 2-0. After the big loss, it was announced that head coach Mikhail Kravets had been fired. Sergei Zvyagin, the team's goaltending coach since 2018, has been appointed as interim head coach of Avangard.

Omsk's former general manager told reporters he considers the firing in the middle of a series a terrible idea.

"I don't know what the situation is inside the team, I have nothing to do with it. But for me, this is an ill-considered and hasty decision. If I were a leader, I wouldn't do this." - Rashid Khabibullin, former Omsk GM. Sport24.ru

Kravets is a former pro player, who suited up in North America plenty of times. However, he managed just two games in the NHL, both with the San Jose Sharks. He was drafted 243rd overall by the team in 1991. As for how he's feeling, he would only tell reporters that he has nothing bad to say.

"This decision was announced today, there are no complaints against the club." - Sport24.ru