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CSKA and Spartak face in second Moscow derby!
In the first encounter, Sergei Plotnikov scored within the first OT minute to give CSKA a hard-fought 3:2 OT win over Spartak – tonight the Sergei Fedorov’s men are called to another battle as Spartak moves to the CSKA Arena for the second game of the series.
Fireworks are to be expected in Ufa as well, with Salavat Yulaev taking on Avangard. Again, it’s the second time that the teams meet this season – the first time, the Viktor Kozlov’s squad had an easy 5:0 win, but things will be different tonight, with the Hawks flying high on a five-win takeoff.
In the East’s other game of the night, Metallurg hosts Barys on a rare four-match losing streak – Magnitka lost the Conference’s leadership to Ufa, but they will try to gain it back on a home series that starts today against Barys. However, the Foxes should be ready to face Barys’ attack – the Kazakhs went down to ninth place in the East, and will fight hard to return in the top-8.
In the last game of this exciting KHL Friday, Dinamo Minsk hosts Lokomotiv. The Railwaymen lost to HC Sochi on Thursday and will want to rehabilitate, but the Belarusian franchise has been in fine shape, and will likely do their best to stop Lokomotiv. Moreover, Dinamo Minsk has developed strong finishing skills in the games’ last gasps – that’s definitely a much-needed skill for any team, and even more so for teams who are battling to reach the playoffs places.
17:00: Metallurg (17-8-3, 2nd E) vs Barys (12-15-1, 9th E)
About the game
Metallurg, who has already defeated Barys this season (5:0), is in the middle of a three-game home series and lost its previous four matches.
Barys starts a three-game road trip and lost its previous couple of matches.
Injury list
Metallurg: Artyom Minulin.
Barys: Nikita Mikhailis.
Milestone alert
Barys’ head coach Andrei Skabelka celebrates his 500th KHL game tonight.
17:00: Salavat Yulaev (17-5-5, 1st E) vs Avangard (14-11-3, 6th E)
About the game
Salavat Yulaev, who has already defeated the Hawks this season (5:0), starts a two-game home series tonight and won its previous couple of matches.
Avangard is in the middle of a three-game road trip and is on a five-match winning streak.
Avangard’s forward Reid Boucher is on a five-game scoring streak, with 8 (6+2) points over that span.
Avangard’s forward Vladimir Tkachyov is also on a five-game scoring streak, with 8 (1+7) points.
Injury list
Salavat Yulaev: Josh Ho-Sang, Ryan Murphy, Anton Pimenov.
Avangard: Stanislav Galimov, Christian Jaros, Nail Yakupov.
19:30: CSKA (17-4-5, 3rd W) vs Spartak (11-13-5, 8th W)
About the game
CSKA, who has already defeated Spartak this season (3:2 OT), enters the second of a four-match home series on a two-game losing streak.
Spartak is at its third of a four-game road trip and lost its previous six matches.
CSKA’s goalie Vsevolod Skotnikov is on a 69:02 shutout streak.
Injury list
Spartak: Pavel Kukshtel, Daniil Orlov, Semyon Ruchkin, Artyom Serikov.
Milestone alert
Spartak’s forward Alexander Khokhlachyov lines up for his 400th KHL game tonight.
19:30: Dinamo Minsk (13-11-4, 7th W) vs Lokomotiv (18-6-4, 2nd W)
About the game
Dinamo Minsk ends a three-game home series and is on a three-match winning streak.
Lokomotiv ends a four-game road trip and lost to HC Sochi on Wednesday (3:4 OT).
The teams met three times this season, with two Lokomotiv wins (3:2, 1:0), and one Dinamo Minsk victory (5:2).
Lokomotiv’s forward Artur Kayumov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (2+2) points over that span.
Lokomotiv’s defenseman Alexander Yelesin is also on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (1+3) points.
Injury list
Dinamo Minsk: Brandon Kozun.
Lokomotiv: Yegor Averin, Daniil Tesanov.
