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Do or die for Traktor tonight!
The temperature will be as hot as ever in Minsk as Traktor faces the local Dinamo while both sides are on the hunt of a playoff spot in their respective conference. A win tonight would immensely help both teams, but much more so Traktor. The Chelyabinsk squad is currently the tenth seed in the East, and they desperately need a win to keep their hopes alive. Dinamo Minsk’s situation is similar, but they have much fewer pressure – they are sitting in the West’s eighth seed, and after a win over Spartak they have excellent chances to get to the elimination stage. Will Dinamo Minsk make the best use of their home ice advantage? Or will Traktor go the extra mile and take two key points from tonight’s match? We’ll soon discover.
In the other game of the night, SKA faces Kunlun Red Star.
19:10: Dinamo Minsk (26-27-13, 8th W) vs Traktor (28-27-10, 10th E)
About the game
Dinamo Minsk ends a two-game home series following a loss to Torpedo on Saturday (2:4).
Traktor, who has already defeated Dinamo Minsk this season (4:3), is in the middle of a three-game road trip after losing to SKA on Sunday (1:4).
Dinamo Minsk has its last home game of this year’s regular season and may clinch a playoff spot in case of a win tonight. Its forward Ryan Spooner is on a five-game scoring streak, with 9 (5+4) points over that span.
Traktor may lose all chances to a playoff qualification if they lose tonight in regulation.
Dinamo Minsk’s forward Roman Gorbunov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (2+2) points.
Traktor’s goalie Sergei Mylnikov is on a 65:18 shutout streak.
Milestone alert
Traktor’s forward Teemu Pulkkinen may net his 100th KHL goal (currently at 99).
19:30: SKA (48-13-5, 1st W) vs Kunlun Red Star (21-37-7, 10th W)
About the game
SKA ends a three-game home series and won its previous three matches.
Kunlun Red Star starts a three-game road trip coming off a four-match losing streak.
SKA has its last home game of this year’s regular season and has defeated the Dragons three times this season (6:3, 3:2, 4:3 SO).
Kunlun Red Star’s forward Jack Rodewald is on a four-game scoring streak, with 4 (2+2) points over that span.
Injury list
SKA: Nikita Komarov, Danila Moiseyev, Nikolai Prokhorkin, Artyom Shvets-Rogovoi, Valentin Zykov.
Kunlun Red Star: Paris O’Brien.
