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Metallurg and Avangard meet tonight!
Metallurg has lost the Eastern leadership after losing three games against Western teams, and tonight they will try to fight back returning home and hosting Avangard on a Russian hockey classic. The teams have already met twice this season in two very different meetings – in a high-octane, record-breaking first clash, Magnitka got the upper hand with a 7:4 score. Then, Avangard got full advantage of a perfect organization and got away with a 5:1 win. Tonight will be another battle, with Magnitka willing to return to taste the victory’s flavor, and Avangard on a four-match run eying a fifth consecutive win.
The action then moves to the West, where Sochi hosts Lokomotiv. The Black Sea franchise has twelve straight losses, and tonight hosts one of the hottest teams in the league. The Railwaymen have recently surpassed CSKA as the Conference’s second seed, and they are on the lookout for another win.
In Belarus, Dinamo Minsk welcomes Spartak in a must-win situation for both teams as the battle for a playoffs spot intensifies.
17:00: Metallurg (17-7-3, 2nd E) vs Avangard (13-11-3, 6th E)
About the game
Metallurg starts a three-game home series and lost its previous three matches.
Avangard starts a three-game road trip on a four-match winning streak.
Each team has defeated each other once this season (7:4; 1:5).
Avangard’s forward Vladimir Tkachyov is on a four-game scoring streak, with 7 (1+6) points over that span.
Avangard’s forward Reid Boucher is also on a four-game scoring streak, with 6 (2+4) points.
Avangard’s forward Alex Broadhurst is on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (2+1) points.
Injury list
Avangard: Stanislav Galimov, Christian Jaros, Nail Yakupov.
Milestone alert
Metallurg’s forward Nikolai Goldobin may reach 100 KHL points (currently at 99).
Avangard’s forward Fyodor Malykhin lines up for his 500th KHL game.
19:30: HC Sochi (3-17-5, 11th W) vs Lokomotiv (18-6-3, 2nd W)
About the game
HC Sochi starts a two-game home series and is on a 12-match losing streak.
Lokomotiv enters the third of a four-game road trip on a five-match winning streak.
HC Sochi’s forwards Nikita Popugayev and Nikita Feoktistov are on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (2+1) points over that span.
Lokomotiv’s goalie Ivan Bocharov is on a 138:56 shutout streak.
Injury list
HC Sochi: Artyom Fyodorov, Danila Galenyuk, Kirill Petkov, Nikita Zorkin.
Lokomotiv: Yegor Averin, Alexei Marchenko, Daniil Tesanov.
Milestone alert
HC Sochi’s forward Nikita Tochitsky lines up for his 400th KHL game, while Lokomotiv’s defenseman Alexander Yelesin for his 200th.
19:30: Dinamo Minsk (12-11-4, 7th W) vs Spartak (11-12-5, 8th W)
About the game
Dinamo enters the middle game of a three-match home series on a two-win streak.
Spartak, who has already defeated Dinamo this season (3:2 OT), is at its second of a four-match road trip and lost its previous five games.
Injury list
Dinamo Minsk: Brandon Kozun.
Spartak: Pavel Kuksthel, Daniil Orlov, Semyon Ruchkin.
Milestone alert
Spartak’s forward Alexander Khokhlachyov lines up for his 400th KHL game tonight
