The team of the hour, Neftekhimik looks to make it 11 in a row!
Looking to stop them is host Lokomotiv as it continues its home swing. On the other hand, Dinamo Riga is desperately looking to end its 5-game losing streak as it hosts Spartak Moscow, to whom the Latvians have already lost twice this season.
Ak Bars has won two in a row and leads the league in victories. The boys from Kazan will conclude their 2-game homestand against Traktor, a team they beat earlier this season 6-0. Evenly matched, Barys will look to conclude its 2-game road swing with a victory against Dynamo Moscow while Torpedo opens a 3-game homestand against a strong Sibir club looking to get back on the winning side of things after 2 straight losses.
Mired in a horrific 9-game losing streak, Severstal concludes a 3-game home swing against Avangard, one of the tougher opponents it could be facing at this juncture. Also looking to get back on track is the suddenly stalling CSKA juggernaut, losers of 2 in a row, who welcome Salavat, winners of 2 in a row. What can we expect from this Moscow tilt?
19:00: Ak Bars (20-5-1) vs. Traktor (10-16-2)
About the game
Ak Bars is playing the 2nd of two straight home games.Traktor is playing the 2nd of two straight road games.
Ak Bars is coming into this game on a 2-game winning streak.
Traktor is coming into this contest having lost its last 2 games.
Ak Bars defeated Traktor earlier this season by a convincing score of 6-0.
Bilyalov has played an outstanding 282:38 straight minutes of shutout hockey. This is the second longest shutout streak in league history. The KHL record is 302:11 and is held by Alexei Murygin. The Russian record for a goaltender in Russia’s highest league is 305:56 straight minutes of shutout hockey and is held by Jiri Trvaj.
Injury list
Ak Bars: Vladimir Tkachyov, Dmitri Voronkov, Oleg Li
Traktor: Anton Glinkin, Christian Thomas, Andrei Popov, Alexei Kruchinin
19:00: Lokomotiv (13-13-0) vs Neftekhimik (15-10-3)
About the game
Lokomotiv is playing the 3rd of four straight home games.
Neftekhimik is playing the 2nd of two straight road games.
Lokomotiv is coming into this game having lost its last contest.
Neftekhimik is coming into this game on a 9-game winning streak.
With a win today, Neftekhimik would once again set a new club record for wins in row.
Poryadin has points in 3 straight games, going 2-1-3 over that span.
Khayrullin has points in 3 straight games, going 2-2-4 over that span.
Sharipzyanov has points in 3 straight games, going 0-3-3 over that span.
Shiksatdarov has points in 4 straight games, going 2-3-5 over that span.
Injury list
Lokomotiv: Andrei Markov
Neftekhimik: Rafael Bikmullin
Milestone alert
Forward Stephane Da Costa is hoping to collect his 100th career KHL assist (currently at 99).
Forward Alexander Chernikov will be looking to score his 200th career regular season KHL goal (currently at 199).
Goaltender Konstantin Barulin is hoping to gain his 250th career KHL victory (currently at 249).
19:00: Severstal (8-13-6) vs. Avangard (15-7-4)
About the game
Severstal is playing the 3rd of three straight home games.
Avangard is playing the 1st of two straight road games.
Severstal is coming into this game on an horrendous 9-game losing streak.
Severstal defeated Avangard earlier this season by a score of 5-1.
However, Severstal last defeated Avangard at home on December 21st, 2011, by a score of 4-3 in OT.
Injury list
Severstal: Daniil Vovchenko
Avangard: Artyom Manukyan, Alexei Yemelin, Denis Zernov, Maxim Chudinov
Milestone alert
Forward Rob Klinkhammer is hoping to suit up for his 200th career KHL game (currently at 199).
Defensemen Alexei Bondarev and Nikita Pivtsakin are each hoping to collect their 100th career KHL point (currently at 99).
19:00: Torpedo (14-12-2) vs. Sibir (14-6-4)
About the game
Torpedo is playing the 1st of three straight home games.
Sibir is playing the 3rd of four straight road games.
Torpedo is coming into this contest fresh off a loss.
Sibir is also coming into this contest having lost its last 2 games.
Injury list
Torpedo: Georgi Misharin, Paul Szczechura
Sibir: Korotkov, Vladislav Naumov
Milestone alert
Defenseman Oleg Piganovich is hoping to collect his 100th career KHL assist (currently at 99).
19:30: Dynamo Moscow (14-9-3) vs Barys (14-7-4)
About the game
Dynamo Moscow is playing the 2nd of three straight home games.
Barys is playing the 2nd of two straight road games.
Dynamo Moscow is coming into this game on a 2-game losing streak.
Barys is coming into this game fresh off a victory.
Tarasov has points in 7 straight games, going 6-5-11 over that span.
Yashkin has points in 7 straight games, going 5-9-14 over that span.
Injury list
Dynamo Moscow: Mikhail Grigoriev
Barys: Viktor Svedberg, Iiro Pakarinen
Milestone alert
Defenseman Kirill Lyamin will be hoping to collect his 100th career KHL assist (currently at 99).
Defenseman Valeri Orekhov is hoping to suit up for his 100th career KHL game (currently at 99).
19:30: CSKA (19-5-2) vs Salavat (15-8-3)
About the game
CSKA is playing the 2nd of three straight home games.
Salavat is playing the 2nd of four straight road games.
CSKA is coming into this game on a 2-game losing streak.
Salavat is coming into this game on a 2-game winning streak.
Salavat last defeated CSKA in Moscow on February 20th, 2011, by a score of 5-1.
Sorokin has played 87:40 straight minutes without allowing a goal against.
Kaprizov has points in 4 straight games, going 1-3-4 over that span.
Kugryshev has points in 5 straight games, going 4-5-9 over that span.
Milestone alert
Forward Pavel Karnaukhov is hoping to suit up for his 100th career KHL game (currently at 99).
Defenseman Yevgeni Lisovets is looking to suit up for his 300th career KHL game (currently at 299).
Forwards Linus Omark and Teemu Hartikainen (each currently at 296) can soon tie Alexander Radulov’s club record for points in the KHL (currently at 299).
20:30: Dinamo Riga (8-16-2) vs Spartak Moscow (14-9-4)
About the game
Dinamo Riga is playing the 2nd of five straight home games.
Spartak Moscow is playing the 2nd of three straight road games.
Dinamo Riga is coming into this game on a 5-game losing streak.
Spartak Moscow is coming into this game having won its last contest.
Dinamo Riga defeated Spartak Moscow once this season by a score of 2-1 in OT. However, they have already lost twice to the Muscovites by scores of 5-1 and 3-2.
Daugavins has points in 3 straight games, going 1-3-4 over that span.
Injury list
Spartak Moscow: Yevgeni Kulik, Alexei Grishin
Milestone alert
Defenseman Kristaps Sotnieks is hoping to collect his 100th career KHL point (currently at 99).Forward Anatoli Nikontsev is looking to score his 100th career KHL goal (currently at 99).
