KHL playoffs begin with four extremely enticing match-ups!

Avangard has owned Salavat this season. What will that mean for the playoffs?

Barys has also been strong against Metallurg in regular season play, but the boys from Magnitogorsk have never lost a playoff series to Barys.

SKA enters the playoffs as basically the KHL’s hottest team. Their opponent is Vityaz, a team that basically backed its way into a playoff spot.

Meanwhile, Jokerit opens the playoffs with home ice advantage, but the Jokers lost four of six regular season match-ups against Lokomotiv.

Excitement is guaranteed as the KHL playoffs begin!

14:00: Barys vs Metallurg

Playoff history

2012: First round. Metallurg defeated Barys 4-3

2017: Second round. Metallurg defeated Barys 4-0

About the game

Barys defeated Metallurg three times this season by scores of 4-3, 2-1 in OT, and 3-1, but also lost to them once 2-1.

Mozyakin has points in 4 straight games, going 2-5-7 over that span.

Injury list

Barys: Viktor Svedberg

Milestone alert

Forward Dustin Boyd is hoping to suit up for his 500th career KHL game (currently at 499).

Defenseman Yevgeni Biryukov is hoping to be the first ever KHL player to suit up for 150 KHL playoff games (currently at 149).

16:00: Avangard vs Salavat

Playoff history

2009: First round. Avangard defeated Salavat 3-1

2016: Second round. Salavat defeated Avangard 4-3

2018: First round. Salavat defeated Avangard 4-3

2019: Eastern Conference Final. Avangard defeated Salavat 4-2

About the game

Avangard defeated Salavat three times this season by scores of 5-2, 2-1 in OT, 4-1, and 2-1.

Injury list

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

Salavat: Pyotr Khokhryakov, Alexei Kruchinin

Milestone alert

Defenseman and Salavat Captain Grigori Panin is hoping to suit up for his 600th career KHL game (currently at 599).

17:00: SKA vs Vityaz

Playoff history

2017: First round. SKA defeated Vityaz 4-0

About the game

These teams exchanged victories in two meetings this season, namely 3-2 in OT for SKA and 4-2 for Vityaz.

Koskiranta has points in 4 straight games, going 3-3-6 over that span.

Yakupov has points in 3 straight games, going 0-3-3 over that span.

Lehteria has points in 3 straight games, going 2-1-3 over that span.

Kuzmenko has points in 6 straight games, going 3-4-7 over that span.

Injury list

Vityaz: Pavel Varfolomeyev, Alexander Semin, Pavel Vorobey

Milestone alert

Goaltender Igor Saprykin is hoping to suit up for his 100th career KHL game (currently at 149).

17:00: Jokerit vs Lokomotiv

Playoff history

These two teams have never met in the KHL playoffs.

About the game

Jokerit defeated Lokomotiv twice this season by scores of 4-1 and 4-3 in OT, but lost to them 4 times (!) by scores of 4-1, 3-2 in OT, 5-4 in OT, and 5-0.

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

Injury list

Lokomotiv: Daniil Misyul

Milestone alert

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