KHL press office
exclusive for khl.ru
SKA and CSKA collide for the third time this season!
The two Western giants have already met twice this year, with SKA taking both clashes – especially the most recent one was disappointing for the Muscovites, who found themselves quickly down by four. However, tonight they will have another chance to take their revenge travelling to St. Petersburg, as CSKA also tries to catch up with Lokomotiv.
The Motormen are currently the second seed in the West, and tonight they face Ak Bars on another Russian classic. However, other games promise to be no less exciting, with fourth-seeded Torpedo hosting Vityaz, and Severstal welcoming HC Sochi as they try to get back to top-eight. Dynamo Moscow and Dinamo Minsk will play tomorrow, while Spartak will return to action on Dec 24.
In the East, the temperature will be also hot, with Avtomobilist facing Sibir after a loss to Admiral, and Magnitka hosting Amur as the Tigers are also trying to get back to a playoffs spot. The KHL action starts in Kazakhstan, with Barys and Avangard having their fourth encounter this season. Among Eastern teams, only Traktor will rest tonight.
16:30: Barys (18-20-3, 8thE) vs Avangard (22-14-4, 6thE)
About the game
Barys starts a two-game home series on a three-match winning streak.
Avangard ends a two-game road trip after a win over Salavat Yulaev on Monday (2:1 SO).
Barys defeated the Hawks once this season (5:3), but lost twice (2:5, 0:6).
Barys’ defenseman Adil Beketayev had an assist in each of his previous three matches.
Avangard’s defenseman Semyon Chistyakov is on a five-game scoring streak, with 5 (1+4) points over that span.
Injury list
Avangard: Stanislav Galimov, Viktor Svedberg, Nail Yakupov.
Milestone alert
Avangard’s forward Alexander Dergachyov lines up for his 300thKHL game.
Avangard’s forward Corban Knight may reach 100 KHL assists (currently at 99).
17:00: Avtomobilist (28-9-3, 1stE) vs Sibir (24-16-3, 3rdE)
About the game
Avtomobilist ends a four-game home series and lost to Admiral on Monday (2:3).
Sibir is in the middle of a three-game road trip and lost its previous three matches.
Avtomobilist defeated Sibir twice this season (5:2, 5:3), and lost once (1:2 SO).
Avtomobilist’s forward Stephane Da Costa lines up for his 400thKHL game tonight and is on a four-game scoring streak, with 5 (2+3) points over that span.
Sibir’s forward Taylor Beck had an assist in each of his previous three matches.
Sibir’s forward Vladimir Butuzov had at least a tally in each of his previous three matches, with a total of four goals.
Injury list
Avtomobilist: Alexei Makeyev.
Sibir: Vladislav Litovchenko.
Milestone alert
Avtomobilist’s goalie Igor Bobkov may reach 30 KHL shutouts.
17:00: Metallurg (25-11-4, 2ndE) vs Admiral (23-13-5, 4thE)
About the game
Metallurg, who has defeated the Sailors twice this season (2:0, 3:1), enters the second of a four-game home series fresh off a victory over Amur on Monday (3:1).
Admiral is at its four straight away game of a five-match road trip and won its previous couple of matches.
Admiral’s forward Nikolai Chebykin is on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (2+1) points over that span.
Injury list
Metallurg: Artyom Minulin.
Admiral: Rinat Valiyev, Artyom Gareyev.
Milestone alert
Admiral’s forward Danil Faizullin may score his 100thKHL point (currently at 99).
17:00: Salavat Yulaev (21-11-8, 5thE) vs Amur (16-17-6, 9thE)
About the game
Salavat Yulaev is at its second of a four-game home series and lost to Avangard on Monday (1:2 SO).
Amur is in the middle of a three-game road trip and lost its previous couple of matches.
Salavat Yulaev defeated the Tigers twice this season (2:0, 3:2) and lost once (1:2 SO).
Salavat Yulaev’s forward Alexander Chmelevsky is on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (2+1) points over that span.
Salavat Yulaev’s forward Ivan Drozdov is also on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (1+2) points.
Injury list
Salavat Yulaev: Josh Ho-Sang.
Amur: Vyacheslav Gretsky.
Milestone alert
Amur’s goalie Janis Kalnins may win his 100thKHL game.
19:00: Neftekhimik (17-22-1, 11thE) vs Kunlun Red Star (14-24-4, 10thW)
About the game
Neftekhimik ends a five-game home series and lost to Barys on Monday (1:3).
Kunlun Red Star, who has defeated the Wolves twice this season so far (4:3, 7:4), enters the third of a four-match road trip after a loss to Ak Bars also on Monday (1:3).
Neftekhimik’s forward Ilya Fedotov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (3+1) points over that span.
Injury list
Neftekhimik: Anthony Camara, Emil Garipov, Hunter Shinkaruk.
Kunlun Red Star: Paris O’Brien.
Disqualifications
Kunlun Red Star’s forward Gareth Hunt serves a one-game ban.
Milestone alert
Neftekhimik’s defenseman Maxim Berezin lines up for his 600thKHL game.
Kunlun Red Star’s goalie Jeremy Smith may play his KHL game no. 100.
19:00: Severstal (14-16-10, 9thW) vs HC Sochi (5-28-6, 11thW)
About the game
Severstal, who has defeated HC Sochi twice this season (2:1, 5:4 SO), starts a five-game home series after a loss to Torpedo on Monday (3:2 OT).
HC Sochi ends a four-game road trip and lost its previous eleven matches.
Severstal’s forward Kirill Pilipenko is on a four-game scoring streak, with 4 (2+2) points over that span.
HC Sochi’s forward Dmitry Zavgorodny is on a five-game scoring streak, with 5 (3+2) points.
HC Sochi’s forward Kirill Petkov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (2+1) points.
Injury list
HC Sochi: Mikhail Berdin, Fyodor Kroshchinsky, Joe Morrow.
19:30: Lokomotiv (25-10-6, 2ndW) vs Ak Bars (19-14-7, 7thE)
About the game
Lokomotiv is in the middle of a three-game home series and defeated HC Sochi on Monday (2:1).
Ak Bars, who has already defeated Lokomotiv this season (3:2), starts a three-game road trip on a two-match winning streak.
Ak Bars’ forward Vadim Shipachyov is on an eight-game scoring streak, with 13 (2+11) points over that span.
Ak Bars’ defenseman Vyacheslav Voinov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (1+3) points.
Injury list
Lokomotiv: Yegor Averin, Artur Kayumov.
Ak Bars: Mikhail Glukhov.
19:30: Torpedo (24-13-3, 4thW) vs Vityaz (18-15-8, 7thW)
About the game
Torpedo is in the middle of a three-game home series and won its previous couple of matches.
Vityaz ends a two-game road trip and lost to SKA on Monday (1:4).
Torpedo defeated Vityaz twice this season so far (2:1 SO, 3:1) and lost once (1:2 OT), and its forward Nikolai Kovalenko is on a three-game scoring streak, with 6 (4+2) points.
Injury list
Torpedo: Kenny Agostino, Vasily Atanasov, Kirill Urakov.
19:30: SKA (34-5-3, 1stW) vs CSKA (25-9-5, 3rdW)
About the game
SKA, who defeated CSKA twice this season (3:2 OT, 6:2), is in the middle of a three-game home series and won its previous seven games.
CSKA is in the middle of a three-game road trip and defeated Dinamo Minsk on Monday (5:1).
SKA’s forward Nikita Gusev is on a seven-game scoring streak, with 14 (7+7) points over that span.
CSKA’s forward Mikhail Grigorenko is on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (2+1) points.
CSKA’s forward Konstantin Okulov is on a six-game scoring streak, with 6 (2+4) points.
Injury list
SKA: Zakhar Bardakov, Stepan Falkovsky, Emil Galimov, Evgeny Ketov, Danila Moiseyev, Artyom Shvets-Rogovoi.
CSKA: Vitaly Abramov, Darren Dietz, Anton Slepyshev, Danil Yurtaikin.
Milestone alert
SKA’s forward Dmitrij Jaskin may tally his 100thKHL goal (currently at 99).
CSKA’s forward Takhir Mingachyov lines up for his 100thKHL match.
