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Battles for playoffs qualification continue with 9 games tonight!
Most recently, two more teams booked their playoff tickets, with Sibir and Ak Bars securing a spot in the elimination stage. Tonight, nine battles are in the program, with more teams having a chance to end the uncertainness and start preparing for the playoffs.
The first of such teams is Avtomobilist. The Motormen face SKA tonight, and their task will be even harder as the Roman Rotenberg’s squad is looking to secure a spot in the top four in the Western Conference.
The second team is Metallurg. Magnitka is currently the fourth seed in the East, and a win over Vityaz will be a good way to celebrate qualification and perhaps catch up with Avtomobilist. The third Eastern team who can find itself in the playoffs at the end of today’s matchday is Avangard. The Hawks will however have a tough task, with CSKA traveling to Omsk. But this doesn’t mean that the game is over before its start – Avangard has already defeated CSKA this season, and tonight they may have what it takes to achieve a second victory.
In the West the situation will be not less exciting, with Vityaz, Dinamo Minsk, Severstal, and Spartak all hitting the ice as the competition to get into the top eight is tighter than ever. Perhaps, tonight Spartak will enjoy a slight advantage as they visit Sochi, while Severstal faces Torpedo at home, and Dinamo Minsk crosses the Urals for a difficult road game in Chelyabinsk. Nine games are on tap tonight as the KHL returns after a day off on Feb 08.
16:30: Avangard (33-20-6, 5thE) vs CSKA (37-15-8, 3rdW)
About the game
Avangard, who has already defeated CSKA this season (4:2), starts an eight-game home series on a two-match losing streak.
CSKA is in the middle of a three-game road trip and has also lost its previous couple of matches.
Avangard can clinch a playoff spot tonight if they defeat CSKA, and Neftekhimik and Traktor lose in regulation.
CSKA’s forwards Sergei Plotnikov and Maxim Mamin are on an identical four-game scoring streak, with 5 (2+3) points over that span.
CSKA’s defenseman Nikita Nesterov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (1+2) points.
Injury list
Avangard: Stanislav Galimov, Nail Yakupov.
CSKA: Danil Yurtaikin.
17:00: Avtomobilist (32-17-9, 3rdE) vs SKA (44-12-5, 1stW)
About the game
Avtomobilist enters the third game of a four-match home series after a win over Vityaz on Tuesday (3:0).
SKA, who has already defeated Avtomobilist this season (3:1) enters the second game of a four-match road trip after a loss to Metallurg also on Tuesday (2:3).
SKA may guarantee itself a spot in the Western top four if they defeat Avtomobilist tonight.
Avtomobilist’s forward Sergei Shirokov is on a four-game scoring streak, with 4 (2+2) points over that span.
SKA’s defenseman Alexander Nikishin is on a three-game scoring streak, with 5 (1+4) points.
SKA’s forward Marat Khusnutdinov is on a four-game scoring streak, with 7 (2+5) points.
Injury list
SKA: Nikita Komarov, Danila Moiseyev, Nikolai Prokhorkin, Artyom Svets-Rogovoi, Valentin Zykov.
Milestone alert
Avtomobilist’s defenseman Nick Ebert may line up for his 100thKHL game. His teammate Sergei Zborovsky may reach 200.
17:00: Metallurg (32-18-10, 4thE) vs Vityaz (31-21-8, 6thW)
About the game
Metallurg ends a three-game home series and is currently on a two-match winning streak.
Vityaz, who has already defeated Metallurg this season (2:1), enters the second game of a four-match road trip after a loss to Avtomobilist on Tuesday (0:3).
Metallurg may clinch a playoff spot if they are either:
- Defeating Vityaz;
- Getting at least one point from tonight’s game, and Neftekhimik loses to Admiral;
- Losing to Vityaz in regulation, and Traktor loses to Dinamo Minsk and Neftekhimik loses to Admiral in regulation.
Metallurg’s defenseman Grigory Dronov is on a four-game scoring streak, with 6 (4+2) points over that span.
Vityaz’s goalie Maxim Dorozhko is on a 104:20 shutout streak.
17:00: Salavat Yulaev (31-20-9, 6thE) vs Kunlun Red Star (21-35-5, 10thW)
About the game
Salavat Yulaev, who has already defeated Kunlun Red Star this season (4:1), is in the middle of a two-game home series and defeated CSKA on Tuesday (2:1 OT).
Kunlun Red Star enters the second game of a four-match road trip after defeating Severstal also on Tuesday (3:2).
Injury list
Salavat Yulaev: Josh Ho-Sang.
Kunlun Red Star: Paris O’Brien.
Milestone alert
Salavat Yulaev’s forward Alexei Pustozyorov may line up for his 100thKHL game tonight.
Salavat Yulaev’s goalie Ilya Ezhov may record his 30thKHL shutout.
17:00: Traktor (26-26-9, 10thE) vs Dinamo Minsk (25-23-13, 7thW)
About the game
Traktor starts a three-game home series fresh off a win over Sibir on Tuesday (5:4 SO).
Dinamo Minsk starts a four-game road trip after defeating Spartak also on Tuesday (3:2).
Traktor’s forward Pyotr Khokhryakov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (3+1) points over that span.
Injury list
Traktor: Anton Burdasov.
Milestone alert
Traktor’s forward Sergei Kalinin lines up for his 600thKHL game.
19:00: Ak Bars (35-17-9, 1stE) vs Amur (28-24-8, 8thE)
About the game
Ak Bars, who has already defeated Amur this season (3:2 OT), plays the lone home game of the series and won its previous couple of matches.
Amur is in the middle of a three-game road trip and lost to Lokomotiv on Tuesday (1:2 OT).
Ak Bars’ forward Alexander Radulov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 6 (1+5) points over that span.
Ak Bars’ forward Vadim Shipachyov is also on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (2+2) points.
Ak Bars’ defenseman Vyacheslav Voynov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (2+1) points.
Amur’s forward Sergei Dubakin is on a four-game scoring streak, with 4 (1+3) points.
Injury list
Ak Bars: Nikita Yevseyev.
Milestone alert
Ak Bars’ head coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov celebrates his 600thgame as a head coach at the KHL level, all with the Kazan team.
Amur’s forward Igor Rudenkov may line up for his 300thKHL game.
19:30: Neftekhimik (28-28-5, 9thE) vs Admiral (30-21-9, 7thE)
About the game
Neftekhimik is in the middle of a three-game home series and won its previous couple of matches.
Admiral enters the third game of a four-match road trip after a win against Torpedo (3:1) on Tuesday.
Neftekhimik has had a win over Admiral this season (1:0), but has lost twice (3:4, 1:2).
Injury list
Neftekhimik: Emil Garipov.
Admiral: Michal Kristof, Evgeny Lisovets.
Milestone alert
Neftekhimik’s forward Yegor Popov lines up for his 100thKHL game.
19:30: Severstal (25-23-12, 8thW) vs Torpedo (39-17-4, 2ndW)
About the game
Severstal enters the fourth game of a six-match home series after a loss to Kunlun Red Star on Tuesday (2:3).
Torpedo plays the lone road game of the series and lost to Admiral also on Tuesday (1:3).
The teams have equally traded wins this season (3:2, 5:4 SO – 2:3ОТ, 1:2ОТ).
Torpedo’s forward Nikolai Kovalenko is on a four-game scoring streak, with 5 (1+4) points over that span.
Injury list
Severstal: Alexander Petunin, Daniil Pylenkov.
Torpedo: Kenny Agostino, Vasily Atanasov, Igor Larionov, Mikhail Orlov, Yu Sato, Dennis Yan.
Milestone alert
Severstal’s defenseman Nikolai Timashov lines up for his 400thKHL game.
19:30: HC Sochi (7-43-9, 11thW) vs Spartak (25-27-8, 9thW)
About the game
HC Sochi starts a three-game home series coming off a three-match losing streak.
Spartak is in the middle of a three-game road trip and lost its previous five matches.
Spartak has defeated HC Sochi twice (1:0, 2:0), and lost once (3:4). Its forward Maxim Tsyplakov is on a four-game scoring streak, with 4 (1+3) points over that span.
Injury list
Spartak: Danila Kvartalnov, German Rubtsov.
Milestone alert
Spartak’s forward Kirill Ivanyuzhenkov lines up for his 100thKHL game, while Spartak’s forward is at his 200th.
