Ak Bars is also hot with three wins in a row, staying on top in the east with 25 accumulated wins already. It’s hard to imagine that Minsk will be able to do much to change that today. Traktor and Sibir face off tonight, with both teams looking to end a 2-game drought.
Elsewhere, Sochi hosts a slumping Neftekhimik (4 straight losses) while one of the day’s most interesting matchups sees Spartak Moscow, winners of two straight, pay a visit to Severstal, winners of three in a row. Whose fate will take a negative twist tonight?
16:30: Barys (14-11-5) vs Torpedo (16-14-4)
About the game
Barys is entering this contest on a 4-game winning streak.
Torpedo is coming into this contest having lost its last game.
Barys is playing the 5th of five straight home games.
Torpedo is playing the 1st of three straight road games.
Barys has won seven straight home games played against Torpedo.
Karlsson has played 65:47 straight minutes of shutout hockey.
Starchenko has points in three straight games, going 2-1-3 over that span.
Sagadeyev has points in three straight games, going 1-2-3 over that span.
Zhafyarov has points in 11 straight games, going 8-9-17 over that span. With a point tonight, he could break Robert Nilsson’s club record of points in 11 straight games.
Miele has points in four straight games, going 3-3-6 over that span.
Chekhovich has points in three straight games, going 2-3-5 over that span.
Injury list
Barys: Jesse Blacker, Darren Dietz, Viktor Svedberg
Torpedo: Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, Ziyat Paygin, Semyon Ruchkin
17:00: Metallurg (21-11-4) vs Dynamo Moscow (20-10-4)
About the game
Metallurg is entering today’s contest fresh off a defeat.
Dynamo Moscow is also entering today’s contest on a 3-game winning streak.
Metallurg is playing the 1st of three straight home games.
Dynamo Moscow is playing the 4th of five straight road games.
Metallurg defeated Dynamo Moscow earlier this season by a score of 6-2.
Metallurg has won nine straight games played at home against Dynamo Moscow. The Muscovites last won in Magnitogorsk on October 10th, 2011, by a score of 6-5.
Shipachyov has points in three straight games, going 0-6-6 over that span.
Jaskin has points in four straight games, going 5-1-6 over that span.
Injury list
Metallurg: Nikolai Prokhorkin, Nikolai Kulemin
Dynamo Moscow: Mikhail Grigoriev, Ivan Igumnov, Vladimir Bryukvin, Vyacheslav Kulemin
Milestone alert
Forward Maxim Karpov is hoping to score his 100th career KHL goal (currently at 99).
17:00: Salavat (20-13-3) vs Jokerit (17-8-3)
About the game
Salavat is entering today’s contest on a 3-game losing streak.
Jokerit is coming into today’s game fresh off a victory.
Salavat is playing the 3rd of five straight home games.
Jokerit is playing the 2nd of five straight road games.
Salavat has lost four straight home games played against Jokerit. It’s last victory at home against the Finns was on October 24th, 2015, by a score of 4-0.
Jokerit defeated Salavat earlier this season by a score of 3-1.
Injury list
Salavat: Vladislav Kartayev, Eduard Gimatov
Jokerit: Iiro Pakarinen, John Norman
Milestone alert
Defenseman Grigori Panin is hoping to collect his 100th career KHL assist (currently at 99).
17:00: Traktor (21-12-2) vs Sibir (15-16-4)
About the game
Traktor is entering today’s game on a 2-game losing streak.
Sibir is also entering today’s game on a 2-game losing streak.
Traktor is playing the 3rd of four straight home games.
Sibir is playing the 1st of two straight road games.
Sibir defeated Traktor earlier this season by a score of 2-1.
Ruohomaa has points in three straight games, going 0-3-3 over that span.
Puustinen has points in three straight games, going 3-1-4 over that span.
Injury list
Traktor: Roman Manukhov, Nikita Yazkov
Sibir: Eric O’Dell
Milestone alert
Forward Juuso Puustinen is looking to collect his 100th career KHL point (currently at 99).
19:30: Ak Bars (25-7-4) vs Dinamo Minsk (19-11-3)
About the game
Ak Bars is entering today’s contest on a 3-game winning streak.
Dinamo Minsk is entering today’s fresh off a loss.
Ak Bars is playing the 2nd of four straight home games.
Dinamo Minsk is playing the 2nd of two straight road games.
Ak Bars defeated Dinamo Minsk earlier this season by a score of 5-4.
Reideborn has played 105:43 straight minutes of shutout hockey.
Bilyalov has played 83:10 straight minutes of shutout hockey.
Da Costa has points in three straight games, going 2-2-4 over that span.
Galiev has points in three straight games, going 3-0-3 over that span.
Prince has points in three straight games, going 4-1-5 over that span.
Injury list
Ak Bars: Artyom Galimov, Justin Azevedo
Dinamo Minsk: Dmitri Buinitsky, Rob Klinkhammer, Adam Almqvist, Ilya Shinkevich
19:30: Severstal (18-14-2) vs Spartak Moscow (16-12-6)
About the game
Severstal is entering this contest on a 3-game winning streak.
Spartak Moscow is coming into this contest on a 2-game winning streak.
Severstal is playing the 3rd of four straight home games.
Spartak Moscow is playing the 1st of two straight road games.
The teams have exchanged victories in two outings this season, each game having ended by a score of 4-3, albeit Spartak’s victory first came in overtime.
Shirokov has points in three straight games, going 0-3-3 over that span.
Injury list
Severstal: Yegor Chizhikov, Makar Khabarov, Joonas Nattinen
Spartak Moscow: Nikita Pivtsakin, Dmitri Vishnevsky, Andrei Kuteikin
Milestone alert
Forward Robin Hanzl is hoping to suit up for his 200th career KHL game (currently at 199).
19:30: Sochi (9-19-6) vs Neftekhimik (10-24-0)
About the game
Sochi is entering today’s contest having lost its last game.
Neftekhimik is also entering today’s contest on a 4-game losing streak.
Sochi is playing the 2nd of three straight home games.
Neftekhimik is playing the 2nd of two straight road games.
Shmelyov leads Sochi in scoring with 10 goals and 21 points in 34 games played.
Hudacek leads Neftekhimik with 11 goals, 14 assists, and 25 points in 29 games played.
Injury list
Sochi: Ansel Galimov, Rafael Batyrshin
Neftekhimik: Vladimir Galuzin