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Playoff battle heats up in the West as Spartak faces Severstal!
Get ready for an electrifying showdown today between Spartak and Severstal, as both teams vie for a coveted spot in the playoffs out West. With the Red-and-Whites still in the running and Severstal fighting to secure its position in the top eight, this game promises to be nothing short of a high-stakes battle.
This won’t be the first time these two have faced off this season. In fact, they’ve already clashed three times before. While the autumnal matches were dominated by Spartak with a consistent score of 4:2 in their favor, the Steelers managed to pull off an impressive win on their home ice just before the New Year. The last moments of that match were intense as the teams exchanged goals, and ultimately, it was Alexander Petunin’s stunning OT tally that secured the victory for the Cherepovets squad. Tonight, Spartak has a good momentum on its side, but Severstal has its starting goalie Dmitry Shugayev on a ninety-minute shutout streak. Moreover, if they win, the playoffs are theirs.
The KHL matchday starts in the Far East with Admiral hosting Avtomobilist and Ak Bars moving to Khabarovsk. Kazan is on a five-game run, and it’ll be hard for Amur to stop them as the Tigers are fighting to end in the top-eight in the East.
Then, Salavat Yulaev takes on Sibir. The Ufa side is on a hot streak, while Sibir lost its previous four matches. However, with several teams tied at 79 points, any result will have a profound impact on the new Eastern standings. And they may change again with Metallurg welcoming HC Sochi.
The action then moves to the West. After the high-stakes showdown between Spartak and Severstal, Dinamo Minsk will hit the ice to face Torpedo – the Belarusians need a victory, even more so if the Red-and-Whites will emerge as winners in the Moscow battle.
Not less interesting will be the rematch between Lokomotiv and CSKA, their sixth encounter this season after Wednesday’s win for the Railwaymen, while Dynamo Moscow pays a visit to Vityaz.
In the remaining game of an action-packed KHL Saturday, Kunlun Red Star hosts Barys with both teams having lost any playoff hope.
10:00: Admiral (31-24-9, 7thE) vs Avtomobilist (35-19-9, 2ndE)
About the game
Admiral, who has defeated the Motormen twice this season (2:1, 3:2), is in the middle of a five-game home series and lost its previous couple of matches.
Avtomobilist enters the third game of a four-match road trip following a win over Amur on Thursday (4:2).
Admiral’s most recent home victory over Avtomobilis is dated Dec 06, 2015 (3:2).
Avtomobilist’s forward Brooks Macek is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (3+1) points over that span.
Injury list
Admiral: Alexander Gorshkov, Evgenly Lisovets.
Avtomobilist: Alexander Shchemerov.
Milestone alert
Avtomobilist’s defenseman Jesse Blacker lines up for his 100thKHL game.
10:00: Amur (29-26-9, 9thE) vs Ak Bars (38-17-9, 1stE)
About the game
Amur enters the third home game of a four-match home series after losing to Avtomobilist on Thursday.
Ak Bars, who has defeated Amur twice this season (3:2 OT, 4:2), enters the third away game of a four-match road trip and won its previous five games.
Amur’s forward Ivan Nikolishin is on a four-game scoring streak, with 5 (2+3) points over that span.
Amur’s forward Stanislav Bocharov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (2+2) points.
Ak Bars’ goalie Amir Miftakhov is on a 66:18 shutout streak.
Ak Bars’ forward Ilya Safonov had an assist in each of his previous three matches.
Ak Bars’ forward Dmitry Voronkov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (1+3) points.
Injury list
Amur: Nikita Grebyonkin, Igor Rudenkov.
Ak Bars: Nikita Yevseyev.
Milestone alert
Amur’s defenseman Ruslan Pedan lines up for his 200thKHL game, while Ak Bars’ blueliner Nikita Lyamkin may reach 400.
Amur’s defenseman Yakov Rylov may reach 250 career points (currently at 249).
13:00: Spartak (27-29-8, 9thW) vs Severstal (27-23-13, 8thW)
About the game
Spartak is in the middle of a five-game home series and defeated Dynamo Moscow on Thursday (2:1).
Severstal starts a four-game road trip following a loss to Lokomotiv on Monday (0:1 SO).
Spartak has defeated Severstal twice this season (4:2, 4:2) and lost once (3:4 OT). However, Severstal may clinch a playoff spot if they win in regulation tonight.
Spartak’s forward Ilya Talaluyev is on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (2+1) points over that span.
Severstal’s goalie Dmitry Shugayev is on a 90:56 shutout streak.
Injury list
Spartak: Kirill Kozhevnikov, Danila Kvartalnov, German Rubtsov, Fyodor Svechkov, Mark Verba.
Severstal: Alexander Petunin, Kirill Pilipenko, Daniil Pylenkov.
Milestone alert
Spartak’s forward Phil Varone may play his 100thKHL game.
14:30: Salavat Yulaev (35-20-9, 3rdE) vs Sibir (36-21-7, 4thE)
About the game
Salavat Yulaev plays the lone home game of the series coming off a five-match winning streak.
Sibir ends a three-game road trip on a four-match losing streak.
It’s the last home match for Salavat Yulaev and the last road game for Sibir in the regular season.
The teams have equally traded wins this season so far (6:3, 1:2).
Injury list
Salavat Yulaev: Josh Ho-Sang.
Milestone alert
Salavat Yulaev’s forward Ivan Drozdov may reach 200 KHL games, while Sibir’s forward Dmitry Ovchinnikov lines up for his 100th.
Salavat Yulaev’s forward Alexander Kadeikin can celebrate his 250thKHL point (currently at 249).
15:00: Metallurg (33-19-11, 5thE) vs HC Sochi (8-46-9, 11thW)
About the game
Metallurg ends a two-game home series following a loss to Neftekhimik on Wednesday (2:4).
HC Sochi, who has already defeated Metallurg this season (3:2), is in the middle of a three-game road trip and lost its previous couple of matches.
HC Sochi celebrated its last win in Magnitogorsk on Jan 11, 2017.
Metallurg’s forward Denis Zernov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (2+2) points over that span.
17:00: Kunlun Red Star (21-37-6, 10thW) vs Barys (26-31-7, 11thW)
About the game
Kunlun Red Star, who has already defeated Barys this season (5:0), plays the lone game of the series following a three-match losing streak.
Barys starts a three-game road trip after losing its previous couple of matches.
Kunlun Red Star plays its last home game this season.
Kunlun Red Star’s forward Jack Rodewald is on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (1+2) points over that span.
Kunlun Red Star’s forward Tomas Jurco is also on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (2+2) points.
Barys’ forward Nikita Mikhailis is on a four-game scoring streak, with 8 (5+3) points.
Barys’ forward Mikhail Rakhmanov and defenseman Nelson Nogier are both on a three-game assist streak, with five passes for Rakhmanov and three for Nogier.
Injury list
Kunlun Red Star: Paris O’Brien.
Barys: Yury Sergiyenko.
17:00: Lokomotiv (40-17-8, 2ndW) vs CSKA (39-16-8, 4thW)
About the game
Lokomotiv plays the lone home game of the series and won its previous five matches.
CSKA plays the lone road game of the series and lost to Lokomotiv on Wednesday.
Lokomotiv has defeated CSKA three times this season (3:2 SO, 3:1, 4:1), and lost twice (2:3, 1:2ОТ). Its goalie Ivan Bocharov is on an 84:05 shutout streak. Moreover, the Railwaymen may clinch a top-four spot in the West if they will end the game with as many points in the standings as Dynamo Moscow.
CSKA may also clinch a top-four spot in the West if they defeat Lokomotiv and Dynamo Moscow loses in regulation.
CSKA’s forward Mikhail Grigorenko is on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (2+1) points over that span.
Injury list
Lokomotiv: Yegor Korshkov, Mikhail Varnakov.
CSKA: Danil Yurtaikin.
Milestone alert
Lokomotiv’s forward Yegor Averin may reach 300 KHL points (currently at 299).
CSKA’s goalie Alexander Sharychenkov may celebrate his 100thKHL win.
17:10: Dinamo Minsk (26-26-13, 8thW) vs Torpedo (41-17-5, 3rdW)
About the game
Dinamo Minsk starts a two-game home series and defeated Barys on Wednesday (5:2).
Torpedo starts a two-game road trip and won its previous couple of matches.
Torpedo has defeated Dinamo Minsk four times this season (5:2, 3:2, 3:2 SO, 3:2) and lost once (2:3ОТ). Moreover, they may clinch a top-four spot in the West if at the end of the KHL matchday they will have more points than Dynamo Moscow.
Dinamo Minsk’s forward Ryan Spooner is on a four-game scoring streak, with 8 (4+4) points over that span.
Torpedo’s forward Vladimir Firstov had at least an assist on each of his previous three games, totaling four helpers.
Injury list
Torpedo: Andrei Belevich, Alexei Kruchinin, Mikhail Orlov, Yu Sato, Kirill Voronin.
17:30: Vityaz (33-23-8, 6thW) vs Dynamo Moscow (36-18-10, 5thW)
About the game
Vityaz is in the middle of a three-game home series and won over Kunlun Red Star on Thursday (5:1).
Dynamo Moscow, who has already defeated Vityaz twice this season (2:0, 3:2ОТ), ends a three-game road trip and lost to Spartak also on Thursday (1:2).
Injury list
Dynamo Moscow: Sergei Boikov.
Milestone alert
Dynamo Moscow’s defenseman Nikita Novikov may line up for his 100thKHL game.
