Will Metallurg get 12th win in a row?

Metallurg visits Kazan on an eleven-game scoring streak, Amur welcomes Traktor with both teams in excellent shape, Neftekhimik hosts Dinamo Minsk, and Lokomotiv travels to Yaroslavl in an action-packed KHL Thursday.

Magnitka is the hottest team in the league and will visit a slumping Ak Bars seeking its twelfth win in a row. If they survived a visit to Dynamo Moscow, they have all the chances to keep on winning and defeat Kazan. However, Dmitry Kvartalnov's men will want to try the critics wrong and start winning - it will be hot in Kazan when the puck drops tonight.

Earlier in the day, Amur hosts Traktor with both teams on an alive winning streak. Then, Neftekhimik welcomes Dinamo Minsk trying to revert a trend of three losses in a row. Finally, Severstal and Lokomotiv clash in Cherepovets as the teams try to win and rack up points in their playoff push.

12:00: Amur (5-8-1) vs Traktor (10-2-2)

About the game
Amur enters the fourth of a five-game home series on a three-win streak.
Traktor starts a four-game road trip off a two-match winning streak.
Amur lost its previous for home games against Traktor.

Injury list
Amur: Patrik Bartosak, Vladimir Mikhasyonok, Nikita Pivtsakin, Kirill Slepets
Traktor: Alexei Potapov, Andrei Stas

19:00: Ak Bars (9-3-3) vs Metallurg (13-1-0)

About the game
Ak Bars lost to Dinamo Minsk on Tuesday and plays the final of a three-game home series.
Metallurg is on a fantastic 11-game winning streak and ends tonight a three-match road trip.
Metallurg's goalie Juho Olkinuora is on a 65:20 shutout streak.
Metallurg's forward Brendan Leipsic is on a five-match scoring streak, with 5 (3+2) points over that span.
His teammate, forward Denis Zernov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 5 (1+4) points.

Milestone alert
Ak Bars goalie Igor Bobkov may record his 30th career shutout, while his teammate Timur Bilyalov may reach 20.
Ak Bars defenseman Daniil Zhuravlyov plays his 100th KHL game tonight.
Ak Bars forward Dmitry Kagarlitsky may break the 400-point mark, being currently at 397.

19:00: Neftekhimik (5-7-1) vs Dinamo Minsk (8-4-1)

About the game
Neftekhimik is on a three-game losing streak and starts tonight a two-match home series.
Dinamo Minsk won its latest four games and plays the third of a four-match road trip.
Earlier this season, Dinamo Minsk already defeated Neftekhimik (3:1).
Dinamo Minsk's defenseman Lukas Bengtsson is on a four-game scoring streak, with 5 (1+4) points over that span.
Dinamo Minsk's forward Ilya Usov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (2+2) points.

Injury list
Neftekhimik: Timur Sharifyanov
Dinamo Minsk: Artyom Demkov, Malte Stremwall

19:00: Severstal (6-6-1) vs Lokomotiv (6-6-2)

About the game
Severstal plays his lone home game of the series and lost its previous two matches.
Lokomotiv lost to SKA on Tuesday and is at its second of a two-game road trip.

Injury list
Severstal: Vladislav Podyapolsky
Lokomotiv: Andre Petersson, Anton Sagadeyev

Milestone alert
Lokomotiv's forward Maxim Shalunov is looking out for his 250th KHL point (currently at 248).
His teammate Pavel Kraskovsky may reach 100 KHL points (currently at 99).