KHL gameday begins with a doozy as Salavat hosts undefeated Avangard!

Coming in off a loss, Salavat was sailing to the tune of three straight victories until their last game. Now the team is home and hoping to put Avangard’s 4-game winning streak to an end.

Meanwhile, Metallurg concludes its 5-game homestand against a thus far average Torpedo club while Lokomotiv enjoys one home game before hitting the road, hoping to give Traktor its next loss. Vityaz is finally playing at home and hopes to make Severstal, which has two wins in its first three games, a .500 club.

Things rev up this afternoon as Spartak Moscow, winners of two straight, hope to give Dinamo Minsk its third straight loss. At the same time, Sochi will begin its home dates with an old foe in Ak Bars coming to town and well, it’s not gonna be easy to gain points there. It also won’t be easy for Neftekhimik, which is on the road visiting a suddenly very hot SKA club in St. Petersburg.

Looks like some goals are going to be scored today!

14:30: Salavat (3-1-0) vs Avangard (4-0-0)

About the game

Salavat is entering the contest fresh off its first loss of the season.

Avangard is coming into today’s game on a 4-game winning streak.

Salavat is playing the 1^st of two straight home games.

Avangard is playing the 2^nd of two straight road games.

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

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

Garipov has played 71:18 straight minutes of shutout hockey.

Tolchinsky has points in four straight games, going 3-3-6 over that span.

Injury list

Salavat: Vladislav Kartayev

Milestone alert

Goaltender Emil Garipov is hoping to rack up his 150^th career KHL victory (currently at 149).

15:00: Metallurg (3-1-0) vs Torpedo (2-2-0)

About the game

Metallurg is entering the contest having lost its last game.

Torpedo is coming into today’s game fresh off a victory.

Metallurg is playing the 5^th of five straight home games.

Torpedo is playing the 2^nd of three straight road games.

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

Milestone alert

Forward Sergei Mozyakin is hoping to collect his 900^th career KHL point (currently at 897).

17:00: Lokomotiv (3-1-0) vs Traktor (1-1-1)

About the game

Lokomotiv is entering this contest straight off a loss.

Traktor is coming into this game straight off a loss as well.

Lokomotiv is on a 1-game homestand.

Traktor is playing the 1^st of three straight road games.

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

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

Injury list

Lokomotiv: Eddie Pasquale, Magnus Paarjarvi-Svensson

Milestone alert

Forward Anton Lazarev is hoping to collect his 100^th career KHL assist (currently at 99).

17:00: Vityaz (1-2-0) vs Severstal (2-1-0)

About the game

Vityaz is entering this context on a 2-game losing streak.

Severstal is entering today’s game having been victorious in its last contest.

Vityaz is playing the 1^st of three straight home games.

Severstal is playing the 2^nd of two straight road games.

Vityaz has successfully defeated Severstal in each of the last four home games against them.

Semin has points in three straight games, going 2-2-4 over that span.

Injury list

Vityaz: Vitali Popov

Milestone alert

Defenseman Vladislav Provolnev is hoping to suit up for his 200^th career KHL game (currently at 199).

17:00: Spartak Moscow (2-2-0) vs Dinamo Minsk (2-2-0)

About the game

Spartak Moscow is entering today’s contest on a 2-game winning streak.

Dinamo Minsk is coming into today’s game on a 2-game losing streak.

Spartak Moscow is playing the 2^nd of four straight home games.

Dinamo Minsk is playing the 1^st of two straight road games.

Spooner has points in six straight games (going into last season), going 2-8-10 over that span.

Menell has points in three straight games, going 0-5-5 over that span.

Injury list

Dinamo Minsk: Vyacheslav Gretsky, Stepan Falkovsky

17:00: Sochi (1-2-0) vs Ak Bars (3-1-0)

About the game

Sochi is entering today’s game having won its last contest.

Ak Bars is heading into today’s game on a 2-game winning streak.

Sochi is playing the 1^st of three straight home games.

Ak Bars is playing the 2^nd of three straight road games.

Injury list

Ak Bars: Daniil Zhuravlyov

Milestone alert

Forward Daniil Apalkov is hoping to collect his 200^th career KHL point (currently at 199).

Forward Kirill Petrov is looking to collect his 150^th career KHL assist (currently at 149).

Forward Danis Zaripov is hoping to collect his 650^th career KHL point (currently at 649).

17:30: SKA (3-0-1) vs Neftekhimik (1-2-0)

About the game

SKA is entering today’s contest on a 2-game winning streak.

Neftekhimik is coming into today’s game fresh off a loss.

SKA is playing the 2^nd of two straight home games.

Neftekhimik is playing the 2^nd of two straight road games.

Surprisingly, SKA has lost its last two home games played against Neftekhimik.

Burdasov has points in four straight games, going 4-0-4 over that span.

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

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