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Top-in-class meet in St. Petersburg
The West and East leaders will hit the ice one against another tonight as SKA welcomes Avtomobilist in a battle of leaders. SKA is currently leading the KHL overall standings with 35 points, while Avtomobilist is first in the East with 29 and is tied with Dynamo Moscow right behind the St. Petersburg franchise. The Motormen still have serious problems with injuries, but things are improving – Stephane Da Costa netted the game-winner in Avto’s 4:2 win over Amur after missing three weeks of action.
The KHL matchday starts in Chelyabinsk, with Traktor hosting Avangard after a nice win over Ak Bars on Sunday. Earlier in the season, Avangard defeated the Chelyabinsk side, but now the situation is different.
In Moscow, CSKA plays Kunlun Red Star for the third time this season. The Dragons sensationally won the previous two clashes, and captain Brandon Yip is on a fantastic eight-game scoring streak; will all this be enough for a third victory?
A showdown between Ak Bars and Metallurg completes the KHL matchday. Will Kazan finally get a win and break its unfavorable losing streak? It won’t be easy against Magnitka, even on home soil.
17:00: Traktor (7-10-3, 9th E) vs Avangard (7-10-2, 10th E)
About the game
Traktor ends a three-game home series and defeated Ak Bars on Sunday (5:2).
Avangard, who has already defeated Traktor this season (2:1), ends a two-match road trip and lost its previous couple of games.
Injury list
Avangard: Nail Yakupov.
Milestone alert
Traktor’s forward Mikhail Kotlyarevsky may reach 100 KHL games.
19:30: Ak Bars (8-6-4, 6th E) vs Metallurg (13-4-2, 2nd E)
About the game
Ak Bars starts a two-match home series and is on a six-game losing streak.
Metallurg, who has already defeated Ak Bars this season (4:1), starts a two-game road trip and is on a three-game winning streak.
Metallurg’s forward Denis Zernov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (2+2) points over that span.
Injury list
Ak Bars: Dmitry Voronkov.
Disqualifications
Ak Bars’ defenseman Kirill Adamchuk serves the last of a five-game ban.
Milestone alert
Metallurg’s Vasily Koshechkin may reach 90 KHL shutotus.
19:30: SKA (17-1-1, 1st W) vs Avtomobilist (14-4-1, 1st E)
About the game
SKA starts a four-game home series and defeated Vityaz on Saturday (5:0).
Avtomobilist starts a four-match road trip and is on a three-game winning streak.
SKA’s goalie Alexander Samonov is on an 84:34 shutout streak.
SKA’s forward Damir Zhafyarov had an assist in each of his previous four games.
SKA’s defenseman Igor Ozhiganov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (2+1) points over that span.
Avtomobilist’s forwards Danil Romantsev and Georgy Belousov are on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (1+2) points over that span.
Avtomobilist’s forward Stephane Da Costa is on a four-game scoring streak, with 7 (2+5) points.
Injury list
SKA: Zakhar Bardakov, Nikita Komarov, Mikhail Pashnin, Artyom Shvets-Rogovoy.
Avtomobilist: Jesse Blacker, Stepan Khripunov, Arsen Khisamutdinov, Alexei Makeyev, Sergei Shirokov, Curtis Valk.
Milestone alert
Avtomobilist’s Igor Bobkov may reach 30 KHL shutouts.
19:30: CSKA (11-4-3, 4th W) vs Kunlun Red Star (8-9-3, 9th W)
About the game
CSKA starts a four-match home series and won its previous five games.
Kunlun Red Star, who has already defeated CSKA twice this season (2:1 OT, 5:4 SO), starts a four-game road trip and defeated Spartak on Sunday (3:0).
CSKA’s forward Vladislav Kamenev is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (3+1) points over that span.
Kunlun Red Star’s forward Brandon Yip is on an eight-game scoring streak, with 10 (6+4) points over that span, and can establish a team’s record.
His teammate, forward Jack Rodewald, is on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (2+1) points.
Injury list
Kunlun Red Star: Paris O’Brien, Ryan Sproul, Tyler Wong.
