Ak Bars is looking to clinch the playoff spot in battle against Avangard

Looks like Dynamo and Torpedo are in for a battle, but Dynamo has slowing been making its way to the 30-win mark this season. Already there (and more) is Ak Bars, which has a league-high 33 wins and welcomes a huge rival in Avangard. Kazan team needs to get just one point for clinching playoff berth.

Severstal hosts Dinamo Riga in what he feels should be a gimme and Dinamo Minsk welcomes an Avtomobilist club that has two straight wins in its pocket.

Lastly, Spartak Moscow hosts Jokerit in what promises to be a touchy affair. Both teams sure could use more consistency in the win column!

19:00: Ak Bars (33-8-4) vs Avangard (26-9-10)

About the game

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

Avangard is entering today’s contest on a 1-game losing streak.

Ak Bars is playing the 1^st of four straight home games.

Avangard is playing the 1^st of six straight road games.

Ak Bars did defeat Avangard once this season by a tight 2-1 score, but has lost to them twice as well, each time by a score of 3-.

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

Zaripov has points in five straight games, going 1-4-5 over that span.

Boucher has points in five straight games, going 4-3-7 over that span.

Injury list

Ak Bars: Alexander Burmistrov, Viktor Tikhonov

Avangard: Artyom Manukyan, Damir Sharipzyanov, Ville Pokka, Alexander Yaremchuk, Arseni Gritsyuk, Yegor Chinakhov

Milestone alert

Forward Roman Lyubimov is hoping to collect his 100^th career KHL point (currently at 99).

Forward Jiri Sekac is hoping to score his 100^th career goal (currently at 99).

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

19:00: Severstal (23-18-3) vs Dinamo Riga (7-29-7)

About the game

Severstal is entering today’s contest fresh off a victory.

Dinamo Riga is entering today’s contest on a 3-game losing streak.

Severstal is playing the 2^nd of three straight home games.

Dinamo Riga is playing the 1^st of five straight road games.

Severstal has defeated Dinamo Riga twice this season by a score of 4-3 in OT and 4-2.

Geraskin has points in three straight games, going 1-4-5 over that span.

Nattinen has points in four straight games, going 3-4-7 over that span.

Kapustin has points in three straight games, going 2-3-5 over that span.

Injury list

Severstal: Yegor Chizhikov

Dinamo Riga: Janis Svanenbergs, Stanislov Galimov, Janis Voris

Milestone alert

Forward Denis Parshin is hoping to collect his 400^th career KHL point (currently at 398).

19:10: Dinamo Minsk (24-17-3) vs Avtomobilist (24-14-7)

About the game

Dinamo Minsk is coming into this contest on a 2-game losing streak.

Avtomobilist is coming into this contest on a 2-game winning streak.

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

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

Dinamo Minsk defeated Avtomobilist earlier this season by a score of 4-3.

Gross has played 74:21 straight minutes of hockey without allowing a goal against.

Kovar has played 63:03 straight minutes of shutout hockey.

Injury list

Dinamo Minsk: Dmitri Buinitsky, Brandon Kozun, Ryan Spooner, Brennan Menell

Avtomobilist: Pavel Kulikov, Sergei Shumakov

Milestone alert

Defenseman Maxim Berezin is hoping to collect his 100^th career KHL point (currently at 99).

19:30: Dynamo Moscow (27-14-4) vs Torpedo (24-16-6)

About the game

Dynamo Moscow is coming into this contest on a 2-game winning streak.

Torpedo is also coming into this contest on a 2-game winning streak.

Dynamo Moscow is playing the 3^rd of ten(!) straight home games.

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

Moscow has defeated Torpedo in four straight home games over several seasons.

Yeremenko has played 73:54 straight minutes of shutout hockey.

Mironov has points in four straight games, going 1-3-4 over that span.

Igumnov has points in five straight games, going 2-3-5 over that span.

Zhafyarov has points in three straight games, going 1-4-5 over that span.

With one more point, Zhafyarov can set the Torpedo all-time points record in the KHL (set at 50 by two separate players).

Injury list

Dynamo Moscow: Mikhail Grigoriev, Alexander Kucheryavenko, Vladimir Bryukvin, Oscar Lindberg, Sergei Boikov, Hietanen, Shipov

Torpedo: Semyon Der-Arguchintsev

19:30: Spartak Moscow (22-18-6) vs Jokerit (23-14-7)

About the game

Spartak Moscow is entering this contest having lost its last game.

Jokerit is coming into this contest on a 2-game losing streak.

Spartak Moscow is playing the 3^rd of three straight home games.

Jokerit is playing the 3^rd of three straight road games.

Jokerit defeated Spartak earlier this season by a whopping score of 7-1 but has lost to the Muscovites twice by scores of 4-1 and 3-2 in OT.

Injury list

Spartak Moscow: Dmitri Vishnevsky, Andrei Kuteikin, Jori Lehtera, Nikita Nikishin

Jokerit: Iiro Pakarinen, Anders Lindback

Milestone alert

Forward Sergei Shirokov is hoping to collect his 400^th career KHL point (currently at 398).

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