Ak Bars faces off against a Neftekhimik team that was one of the few in the KHL to beat the team from Kazan twice.
Avtomobilist is hosting a Sibir club that it only managed to beat once in four contests this year.
Dynamo Moscow will host arch rival Spartak Moscow, a team it managed to defeat in all four contests this season.
CSKA begins its defense of the Gagarin Cup against Torpedo against whom they collected 10 of 12 possible points this season.
17:00: Avtomobilist vs Sibir
Playoff history
These two teams have never faced each other in the KHL playoffs.
About the game
Avtomobilist defeated Sibir once this season by a score of 3-1, but lost three times to the boys from Novosibirsk this season by scores of 3-0, 4-3 in OT, and 3-2 in OT.
Dawes has points in 9 straight games, going 2-10-12 over that span.
Holland has points in 5 straight games, going 2-5-7 over that span.
Kovar has played 62:44 straight minutes of shutout hockey.
Injury list
Avtomobilist: Nikolai Stasenko, Denis Bodrov, Anatoli Golyshev, Pavel Datsyuk
Sibir: Vladimir Pervushin, Viktor Komarov, Nikita Mikhailov, Alexander Torchenyuk
Milestone alert
Defensemen Alexander Loginov and Oleg Piganovich are each hoping to collect their respective 100th career KHL assist (currently at 99).
Forward Yegor Milovzorov is hoping to suit up for his 600th career KHL game (currently at 599).
19:30: CSKA vs Torpedo
Playoff history
2016: Second round. CSKA defeated Torpedo 4-1
About the game
In four contests this season, CSKA defeated Torpedo three times by scores of 3-0, 5-2, and 4-1, having lost once to them 2-1 in OT.
Sorokin has played 79:59 straight minutes of shutout hockey.
Kaprizov has points in 5 straight games, going 8-2-10 over that span.
Slepyshev has points in 5 straight games, going 2-8-10 over that span.
Injury list
CSKA: Ivan Telegin, Sergei Andronov
Torpedo: Anton Volchenkov
19:30: Dynamo Moscow vs Spartak Moscow
Playoff history
2010: First round. Spartak Moscow defeated Dynamo Moscow 3-1
About the game
Dynamo Moscow defeated Spartak Moscow four times this season by scores of 3-2 in OT, 3-0, 4-0, and 2-1 in OT.
Fedorov has points in 3 straight games, going 1-3-4 over that span.
Injury list
Dynamo Moscow: Sergei Boikov
Spartak Moscow: Nikita Bespalov, Robin Hanzl, Tobias Viklund
Milestone alert
Forward Daniil Apalkov is hoping to collect his 200th career KHL point (currently at 199).
Defenseman Ivan Vishnevsky is hoping to suit up for his 500th career KHL game (currently at 499).
19:30: Ak Bars vs Neftekhimik
Playoff history
2013: First round. Ak Bars defeated Neftekhimik 4-0
About the game
Ak Bars defeated Neftekhimik twice this season by scores of 4-1 and 3-2, but also lost to them twice 4-2 and 2-1 in OT.
Galiev has points in 4 straight games, going 2-6-8 over that span.
Injury list
Ak Bars: Danis Zaripov, Kristian Khenkel
Neftekhimik: Pavel Padakin, Ziyat Paigin
Milestone alert
Forward Viktor Tikhonov is hoping to collect his 100th career KHL assist (currently at 99).
Forward Stepan Sannikov is hoping to suit up for his 600th career KHL game (currently at 599).
Defenseman Roman Rukavishnikov is hoping to suit up for his 400th career KHL game (currently at 399).
