Jokerit hosts always dangerous Spartak in Western Conference battle!
Big day of hockey as Jokerit looks to squeak in its next win against visiting Spartak Moscow while Ak Bars looks to rack up victory number 32 against a Traktor team that finds itself in a funk with three straight losses.
Avtomobilist is back home for a short 1-game homestand to face a Barys team in a tough match-up. Vityaz host Sochi in a game pitting two struggling teams.
CSKA is back home to host the suddenly hot boys from Neftekhimik. They’ll need every win they can get to catch up with Ak Bars as the league’s best team.
14:30: Avtomobilist (22-12-7) vs Barys (21-14-5)
About the game
Avtomobilist is entering today’s contest having won its last game.
Barys is entering today’s contest having lost its last game.
Avtomobilist is on a 1-game homestand.
Barys is playing the 2nd of three straight road games.
Avtomobilist defeated Barys earlier this season by a score of 3-2.
Dietz has points in three straight games, going 1-2-3 over that span.
Frattin has points in seven straight games, going 5-5-10 over that span.
Injury list
Avtomobilist: Pavel Kulikov, Leonid Fomin, Sergei Shumakov
Barys: Viktor Svedberg, Leonid Metalnikov
Milestone alert
Defenseman Maxim Berezin is hoping to collect his 100th career KHL game (currently at 99).
Forward Pavel Akolzin is hoping to suit up for his 200th career KHL game (currently at 199).
17:00: Ak Bars (31-7-4) vs Traktor (25-13-4)
About the game
Ak Bars is entering this contest on a fantastic 9-game winning streak.
Traktor is coming into this contest on a 3-game losing streak.
Ak Bars is playing the 2nd of two straight home games.
Traktor is playing the 1st of two straight road games.
Traktor has actually defeated Ak Bars twice this season, namely by scores of 3-2 in OT and 2-1.
Da Costa has points in nine straight games, going 9-8-17 over that span.
Sedlak has points in three straight games, going 3-1-4 over that span.
Injury list
Ak Bars: Alexander Burmistrov, Artyom Lukoyanov, Viktor Tikhonov
Milestone alert
Defenseman Denis Bodrov is hoping to collect his 100th career KHL assist (currently at 99).
17:00: Vityaz (19-19-3) vs Sochi (12-25-6) vs
About the game
Vityaz is entering today’s contest on a 2-game losing streak.
Sochi is also entering today’s contest on a 2-game losing streak.
Vityaz is playing the 1st of two straight home games.
Sochi is playing the 1st of three straight road games.
The teams have exchanged victories in two outings this season, 4-3 for Vityaz in overtime and 5-2 for Sochi.
Daugavins has points in four straight games, going 2-3-5 over that span.
Injury list
Vityaz: Yevgeni Katichev
17:00: CSKA (29-7-5) vs Neftekhimik (13-29-0)
About the game
CSKA is entering today’s contest fresh off a loss.
Neftekhimik is entering today’s contest on a surprising 3-game winning streak.
CSKA is playing the 2nd of three straight home games.
Neftekhimik is playing the 2nd of two straight road games.
CSKA defeated Neftekhimik earlier this season by a score of 4-2.
CSKA has won nine games in a row at home against Neftekhimik. They last time they lost to the men from Nizhnekamsk on home ice was September 25th, 2010, by a score of 2-0.
Sharychenkov has played 61:08 straight minutes of shutout hockey.
Ivannikov has played 125:56 straight minutes of shutout hockey.
Injury list
CSKA: Anton Slepyshev, Andrei Loktionov
Neftekhimik: Linus Johansson
Milestone alert
Forward Maxim Mamin and defenseman Artyom Blazhievsky are both hoping to suit up for their 300th career KHL game (currently at 299).
Forward Brandon McMillan is hoping to collect his 100th career KHL point (currently at 99).
19:30: Jokerit (22-12-4) vs Spartak (20-17-6)
About the game
Jokerit is entering today’s contest fresh off a victory.
Spartak is also coming into today’s game fresh off a victory.
Jokerit is playing the 1st of two straight home games.
Spartak is playing the 3rd of three straight road games.
The teams have exchanged victories in two outings this season twice this season with Jokerit having won 7-1 and Spartak having taken a 3-2 overtime decision.
O’Neill has points in five straight games, going 1-5-6 over that span.
Schroeder has points in four straight games, going 4-2-6 over that span.
Haapala has points in five straight games, going 5-3-8 over that span.
Norman has points in five straight games, going 0-6-6 over that span.
Hanzl has points in three straight games, going 3-1-4 over that span.
Injury list
Jokerit: Iiro Pakarinen, Markus Hannikainen
Spartak Moscow: Dmitri Vishnevsky, Andrei Kuteikin, Jori Lehtera, Alexander Nikishin
Milestone alert
Forward Sergei Shirokov is hoping to collect his 400th career KHL point (currently at 397).
Defenseman Damir Musin is hoping to suit up for his 300th career KHL game (currently at 299).
Forward Pavel Chernov is hoping to collect his 100th career KHL assist (currently at 99).
