Ak Bars shoots for first overall in the East as KHL action continues!

Ak Bars will be the Eastern Conference champion if it beats Avangard today in any manner. Don’t expect close competition Avangard to hand the Kazan-natives that honor.

Elsewhere, Barys will be looking to add to its impressive 6-game winning streak as Sibir comes to town while Lokomotiv concludes a 3-game homestand against Vityaz. The day is capped off by a bout between Spartak Moscow and Torpedo, with the latter looking to end a nasty 3-game losing streak.

16:30: Barys (36-15-7) vs Sibir (31-20-6)

About the game

Barys is playing the 2nd of three straight home games.

Sibir is playing the 1st of three straight road games.

Barys is coming into this contest on a 6-game winning streak.

Sibir is coming into this contest fresh off a victory.

Barys defeated Sibir earlier this season by a score of 2-0.

Injury list

Sibir: Vladimir Pervushin, Viktor Komarov

Milestone alert

Defensemen Alexander Loginov and Oleg Piganovich are each hoping to collect their respective 100th career KHL assist (currently at 99).

19:00: Ak Bars (41-11-5) vs Avangard (32-17-8)

About the game

Ak Bars is playing the 2nd of two straight home games.

Avangard is on a 1-game road trip.

Ak Bars is coming into this contest on a 2-game winning streak.

Avangard is also coming into this contest on a 2-game winning streak.

Ak Bars defeated Avangard earlier this season by a score of 3-0, but has lost to them twice as well by scores of 3-0 and 2-1 in overtime.

This is the last road game for Avangard in the regular season.

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

Injury list

Ak Bars: Daniil Zhuravlyov, Oleg Li, Kristian Khenkel

Avangard: Artyom Manuykan, Alexei Potapov, Alexander Sudnitsin, Maxim Chudinov

Milestone alert

Forward Denis Zernov is hoping to suit up for his 200th career KHL game (currently at 199).

19:00: Lokomotiv (31-23-4) vs Vityaz (26-22-9)

About the game

Lokomotiv is playing the 3rd of three straight home games.

Vityaz is playing the 1st of three straight road games.

Lokomotiv is coming into this contest fresh off a defeat.

Vityaz is also coming into this contest fresh off a loss.

Lokomotiv defeated Vityaz once this season by a score of 5-2, but also lost once to them 3-2.

This is the last home game of the regular season for Lokomotiv.

Semin has points in 4 straight games, going 1-5-6 over that span.

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

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

Injury list

Lokomotiv: Daniil Misyul

Vityaz: Pavel Varfolomeyev

Suspensions

Vityaz: Forward Danila Moiseyev will miss today’s game while serving a 1-game suspension.

Milestone alert

Forward Pavel Chernov is hoping to suit up for his 400th career KHL game (currently at 399).

Forwards Ivan Larichev and Joonas Nattinen are hoping to suit up for their 100th career KHL games, respectively (each currently at 99).

19:30: Spartak Moscow (32-18-8) vs Torpedo (27-27-4)

About the game

Spartak Moscow is playing the 1st of two straight home games.

Torpedo is playing the 1st of three straight road games.

Spartak Moscow is coming into this game having lost its last game.

Torpedo is coming into this game on a 3-game losing streak.

Spartak Moscow defeated Torpedo earlier this season by a score of 3-1.

Torpedo last won a road game against Spartak in Moscow on August 31st, 2015, by a score of 5-2.

Injury list

Spartak Moscow: Nikita Bespalov

Torpedo: Mikhail Varnakov