The 2018-19 KHL Playoffs set to take flight! Preview for February 25th

History repeats itself in Magnitogorsk and Balashikha while Jokerit kicks off the playoffs against the biggest thorn in their side! KHL playoffs are on!

17:00 Metallurg (3rd in the East) vs. Salavat (6th in the East)

Series stand

0 - 0

KHL Playoff history

2011 – Conference final – Salavat defeats Metallurg 4-3

2013 – Round 1 – Salavat defeats Metallurg 4-3

2014 – Conference final – Metallurg defeats Salavat 4-1

2016 – Conference final – Metallurg defeats Salavat 4-1

About the game

- The teams exchanged victories in their two meetings this season. Metallurg won 4-0 and Salavat won 2-1 in OT.

- Zagidulin has played 76:22 straight minutes of shutout hockey.

- Rassmussen is entering the playoffs with points in 4 straight games, going 1-4-5 over that span.

- Shore is entering the playoffs with points in 4 straight games, going 4-0-4 over that span.

- Kugryshev has 3 game-winning goals.

19:00 Lokomotiv (3rd in the West) vs. Sochi (6th in the West)

Series stand

0 - 0

KHL Playoff history

This is the first time these two teams will ever have faced each other in the KHL playoffs.

Injury list

Sochi: Nikita Shchitov, Denis Mosalyov, Artyom Tomilin, Dmitri Arkhipov

About the game

- The teams have played four games this season, with each team winning two of the contests. Lokomotiv won 4-3 and 1-0 while Sochi won 3-2 in OT and 2-1.

- Isayev has played 80:33 straight minutes without allowing a goal against.

- Kozun has points in 5 straight games, going 3-5-8 over that span.

- Barulin is looking to pitch his 50th ever KHL shutout.

- O’Dell is hoping to collect his 100th career regular season KHL point.

- Jokipakka is hoping to suit up for his 100th career KHL game.

- Barulin has played 125:03 straight minutes without allowing a goal against.

19:30 Jokerit (4th in the West) vs. Dynamo Moscow (5th in the West)

Series stand

0 - 0

KHL Playoff history

This is the first time these two teams will ever have faced each other in the KHL playoffs.

Injury list

Dynamo: Andrei Alexeyev, Maxim Afinogenov, Vyacheslav Kulemin

About the game

- Although Jokerit finished ahead of Dynamo Moscow in the standings, this is about the last team Jokerit wanted to face in the playoffs. Dynamo defeated Jokerit four times this season, 5-3, 3-2, 4-3 in OT, and 2-0.

- Furthermore, Dynamo has defeated Jokerit 11 straight times in KHL play.

- Moses has points in 5 straight games, going 3-3-6 over that span.

- Grant has points in 4 straight games, going 1-3-4 over that span.

- O’Neill has points in 3 straight games, going 2-3-5 over that span.

19:30 Avangard (4th in the East) vs. Ak Bars (5th in the East)

Series stand

0 - 0

KHL Playoff history

2009 – Round 2 – Ak Bars defeat Avangard 3-2

2015 – Round 2 – Ak Bars defeat Avangard 4-1

2017 – Round 2 – Ak Bars defeat Avangard 4-2

Injury list

Avangard: Karri Ramo

Ak Bars: Emil Garipov, Fyodor Malykhin, Andrei Pedan

About the game

- The teams exchanged victories in their two meetings this season. Ak Bars defeated Avangard 4-3 in OT while Avangard defeated Ak Bars 2-1 in OT.

- Stalberg is entering the playoffs with points in 3 straight games, going 2-1-3 over that span.

- Sharychenkov is hoping to gain his 50th career victory in the KHL.