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).
