Champion CSKA kicks off the 2019-20 KHL season ready to remain on top!

Reigning champs CSKA face off against familiar foe Avangard in Game 1 of the 2019-20 KHL season. Will a new story be written this season? If so, can Avangard begin the first chapter in today’s match-up?

15:30 CSKA vs Avangard

About the game

CSKA is playing the 1st of three straight home games.

Avangard is playing the 1st of two straight road games.

CSKA is participating in the Opening Cup for the fourth time ever. It has one victory (in 2015) in three total games.

Overall, CSKA has won its last 9 games against Avangard, including playoffs.

Avangard is participating in the Opening Cup for the second time ever. In 2012, the team lost to Dynamo Moscow 3-2 in OT.

Avangard last defeated CSKA as the away team in a 2-1 OT victory on October 9th, 2016.

Sergei Shumakov has points in 3 straight games, going 4-1-5 over that span.

Taylor Beck has points in 5 straight games, going 1-7-8 over that span.

Injury list

Avangard: Artyom Manukyan, Maxim Mizyurin, Denis Zernov

Milestone alert

Defenseman Artyom Blazhiyevsky is hoping to collect his 50th career KHL point (currently at 49).

Forwards Mikhail Grigorenko and Anton Slepyshev are each hoping to score their 50th career KHL goal (both currently at 49).

Forward Konstantin Okulov is hoping to collect his 50th career KHL assist (currently at 49).

Goaltender Ilya Sorokin is shooting to achieve his 50th career shutout in the KHL (currently at 49).

Forward Sergei Kalinin is hoping to score his 50th career regular season KHL goal (currently at 49).

Forward Sergei Shirokov is looking to score his 150th career goal in the KHL (currently at 149).

Forward Alexei Potapov is hoping to suit up for his 400th career game in the KHL (currently at 399).

Forward Sergei Shumakov is hoping to score his 100th career KHL goal and collect his 200th career KHL point.