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Three more teams playoffs-bound tonight
The playoffs’ qualification battle is still going on fiercely in both conferences – especially so in the East – but eight teams have already booked their place in the elimination stage, five in the Western and three in the Eastern Conference. Three other team may join the party after tonight’s games: this time, the East in majority, with Avangard and Salavat Yulaev willing to end their struggles, and Vityaz looking to return to the playoffs after a two-year hiatus.
Avangard, however, will have to deal with a motivated Dinamo Minsk. The Belarusians need points much more so than the Hawks, and the game is going to be a hot one in Omsk. The other two teams are going to play on the road, with Salavat Yulaev facing HC Sochi and Vityaz traveling to Nizhnekamsk, being thus on a similar position to Avangard.
The Omsk game will be followed closely by Severstal as well – the Cherepovets side is rivalling with Minsk for the eighth seed in the West, and they face Lokomotiv tonight as they close a long, six-game home series.
In the closing game of the KHL matchday, Barys hosts SKA.
16:30: Avangard (34-20-7, 5th E) vs Dinamo Minsk (25-25-13, 8th W)
About the game
Avangard enters the third game of an eight-match home series after defeating SKA on Saturday (5:4).
Dinamo Minsk, who has already defeated Avangard this season (6:3), enters the third game of a four-match road trip and lost its previous couple of matches.
Avangard can clinch a playoff spot if they win in regulation or Neftekhimik defeats Vityaz.
Avangard’s forward Reid Boucher is on a four-game scoring streak, with 5 (2+3) points over that span.
Injury list
Avangard: Stanislav Galimov, Nail Yakupov.
16:30: Barys (26-29-7, 11th E) vs SKA (45-14-5, 1st W)
About the game
Barys starts a two-game home series fresh off a win over CSKA on Feb 5 (6:5 OT).
SKA, who has already defeated Barys this season (1:3), ends a four-game road trip after a loss to Avangard on Sunday (4:5).
Barys’ forward Kirill Savitsky and SKA’s forward Alexander Volkov are on an identical three-game scoring streak, with 3 (1+2) points over that span.
Injury list
Barys: Yefim Gurkov, Yury Sergiyenko.
SKA: Nikita Komarov, Danila Moiseyev, Nikolai Prokhorkin, Artyom Shvets-Rogovoi, Valentin Zykov.
Milestone alert
SKA’s forward Damir Zhafyarov may reach 300 career points (currently at 298).
19:00: Neftekhimik (29-28-5, 10th E) vs Vityaz (34-22-8, 6th W)
About the game
Neftekhimik ends a three-game home series and defeated Admiral on Thursday (2:1).
Vityaz ends a four-game road trip following a loss to Salavat Yulaev on Saturday (4:0).
Vityaz has defeated Neftekhimik twice this season (5:2, 1:0), and has lost once (4:5). Moreover, the Moscow Region club may clinch a playoffs spot if they don’t lose in regulation to Neftekhimik tonight and Dinamo Minsk loses to Avangard in regulation.
Injury list
Neftekhimik: Emil Garipov, Bulat Shafigullin.
19:00: Severstal (27-23-12, 7th W) vs Lokomotiv (28-17-2, 3rd W)
About the game
Severstal ends a six-game home series coming off a two-match winning streak.
Lokomotiv starts a three-game road trip following a three-match winning streak.
Lokomotiv has defeated Severstal three times this season (5:3, 4:3 OT, 6:2), and has lost twice (2:3 ОТ, 0:3).
Severstal’s forward Igor Geraskin is on a four-game scoring streak, with 5 (1+4) points over that span.
Lokomotiv’s goalie Daniil Isayev is on a 67:19 shutout streak.
Lokomotiv’s forward Artur Kayumov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 6 (2+4) points.
Lokomotiv’s defenseman Alexander Yelesin had an assist in each of his previous three games.
Injury list
Severstal: Alexander Petunin, Kirill Pilipenko, Daniil Pylenkov.
Lokomotiv: Yegor Korshkov, Mikhail Varnakov.
Milestone alert
Lokomotiv’s forward Alexander Polunin lines up for his 400th KHL game.
Lokomotiv’s forwards Yegor Averin and Mikhail Shalunov may reach 300 KHL points. Averin is currently at 299, while Shalunov scored 298.
19:30: HC Sochi (8-44-9, 11th W) vs Salavat Yulaev (33-20-9, 6th E)
About the game
HC Sochi, who has already defeated Salavat Yulaev this season (4:3 OT), ends a three-game home series fresh off a win over Kunlun Red Star on Saturday (7:2).
Salavat Yulaev starts a two-game road trip on a three-match winning streak.
Salavat Yulaev’s forward Alexander Chmelevski is on a four-game scoring streak, with 6 (5+1) points over that span.
Salavat Yulaev’s goalie Ilya Ezhov is on a 62:20 shutout streak.
Injury list
Salavat Yulaev: Josh Ho-Sang.
