Traktor and CSKA looking to close their series!
Neftekhimik and Lokomotiv may finish their season today, while Barys and Metallurg will keep on battling.
It’s do-or-die for Lokomotiv and Neftekhimik after Saturday’s defeats. Both teams are in an unfavorable position, having lost the first three games of the series. Both sides suffered from OT losses on Saturday, but it was much different. Traktor only needed five minutes of extra-time to achieve victory, while CSKA’s win arrived only at the fourth OT – it was the second longest KHL game in history.
After game three’s loss, Barys hosts Metallurg in Nur-Sultan again trying to tie things up after a disappointing performance on Saturday.
14:00: Barys vs Metallurg
Series stand
Metallurg leads the series 2-1.
About the game
Metallurg’s penalty killing units did wonders in game three, scoring two shorthanded goals with Semyon Koshelev and Pavel Akolzin. In the second period, Metallurg went up by four, and Barys couldn’t recover. Magnitka thus achieved an important 5:3 win and went ahead in the series.
Metallurg’s Philippe Maillet and Grigory Dronov are on a three-game scoring streak. Maillet went 2+2 in this frame, while Dronov had scored 3 (2+1) points.
Barys’ forward Jakob Lilja is on a four-game scoring streak, with 5 (3+2) points over that span.
Injury list
Barys: Dmitry Gurkov.
Metallurg: Mikhail Grigoryev, Mikhail Pashnin.
17:00: Neftekhimik vs Traktor
Series stand
Traktor leads the series 3-0.
About the game
Albert Yarullin’s strike in OT put Traktor at just one step from second-round qualification. Traktor was up in the end of the closing frame, but a fantastic play by Lukas Klok tied things up at two. However, Traktor pushed the gas in extra-time and achieved its third victory in the series.
Injury list
Neftekhimik: Alexei Puzanov, Timur Sharifyanov.
Traktor: Marsel Sholokhov.
Milestone alert
Tratkor’s defenseman Nick Bailen may score his 250th point (currently at 249).
17:00: Lokomotiv vs CSKA
Series stand
CSKA leads the series 0-3.
About the game
Game three went on for an almost record-breaking four OT periods, with Maxim Sorkin grabbing his second GWG in the series – this time at 127th minute. Sorkin’s strike after a blueline slapshot by Klas Dahlbeck that constituted Daniil Isayev’s 55th – and last – save of the night. For CSKA, Ivan Fedotov recorded 66 saves, while Konstantin Okulov potted a double.
Lokomotiv’s forward Artur Kayumov and CSKA’s forward Vladislav Kamenev had an assist in each of his three previous games.
CSKA’s forward Konstantin Okulov is on a four-game scoring streak, with 6 (3+3) points over that span.
Injury list
CSKA: Nikita Rtishchev.
Milestone alert
Lokomotiv’s forward Denis Alexeyev and CSKA’s forward Anton Slepyshev may record their 100th KHL assist.
CSKA’s forward Konstantin Okulov may reach 250 KHL points.
