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SKA faces CSKA in today’s top game
Today’s highly anticipated clash between SKA and CSKA promises to be a showdown of West titans in the ongoing hockey season. The two teams have a rich history of facing off in the Western Conference finals, with CSKA enjoying recent success by reaching five consecutive Gagarin Cup finals. However, this season has witnessed a role reversal, with SKA currently holding the 5th position and CSKA trailing closely in 6th in the West standings.
Both teams enter the contest in good form, with SKA boasting an impressive five-game winning streak and CSKA not far behind with three consecutive victories. The stakes are high as these rivals vie for dominance. In a previous encounter earlier this year, SKA emerged triumphant with a narrow 3:2 victory over CSKA in Moscow, a game in which Mikhail Vorobyov scored the decisive goal in the closing moments of the final frame.
The matchday will however start in the East, with Metallurg facing Sibir for the fourth time this season. Magnitka won all three contests so far, and they are currently on a seven-game scoring streak. On the other hand, Novosibirsk lost its previous couple of matches, and will want to rebound back.
Then, Lada hosts Dinamo Minsk. Only once did the Togliatti side host the Belarusians in the KHL history, with Lada claiming a 1:0 win on Dec 11, 2008 (1:0). This season the teams have already faced off once, with Lada prevailing. In the closing game of an intriguing KHL Monday, Torpedo hosts Barys. The Igor Larionov’s men are currently the fourth seed in the West, and they will be on the lookout for another win with the Kazakhs coming to town today.
17:00: Metallurg (21-8-4, 1st E) vs Sibir (14-13-5, 8th E)
About the game
Metallurg enters the second game of a four-match road trip on a seven-game winning streak.
Sibir ends a two-game road trip and lost its previous couple of matches.
Metallurg has defeated Sibir three times this season (4:2, 6:3, 3:2 OT).
Metallurg’s forward Maxim Karpov, who celebrates 700 KHL games tonight, is on a six-game scoring streak, with 10 (2+8) points over that span.
Metallurg’s goalie Ilya Nabokov is on a 98:27 shutout streak.
Injury list
Metallurg: Danila Kvartalnov, Vladislav Yeryomenko.
Sibir. Georgy Belousov, Trevor Murphy.
18:00: Lada (18-9-6, 3rd E) vs Dinamo Minsk (14-12-2, 8th W)
About the game
Lada, who has already defeated Dinamo this season (2:1 OT), plays the lone home game of the series and lost its previous couple of matches.
Dinamo Minsk starts a two-game road trip and lost its previous three matches.
Lada’s forward Ostap Safin is on a five-game scoring streak, with 7 (1+6) points over that span.
Injury list
Lada: Pavel Koltygin, Scott Kosmachuk, Danila Moiseyev, Nikita Popugayev, Nikolai Vladimirov.
Dinamo Minsk: Oleg Pozhigan, Ivan Sekerin, Alexander Suvorov.
19:30: Torpedo (19-11-2, 4th W) vs Barys (9-17-7, 11th E)
About the game
Torpedo, who has already defeated Barys this season (2:1), ends a two-game home series following a victory over Dynamo Moscow on Saturday (3:1).
Barys ends a three-game road trip and lost its previous three matches.
Injury list
Torpedo: Nikita Artamonov, Kirill Kirsanov, Igor Larionov, Yu Sato.
Barys: Samat Daniyar, Alex Grant.
19:30: SKA (18:13:0, 5th W) vs CSKA (17-12-2, 6th W)
About the game
SKA, who has already defeated CSKA this season (3:2), starts a five-game home series after five straight wins.
CSKA enters the second game of a four-game road trip on a three-game winning streak.
SKA’s forward Vadim Alistrov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (1+3) points over that span.
Injury list
SKA: Zakhar Bardakov, Brendan Leipsic, Andrei Pedan.
Milestone alert
CSKA’s defenseman Colby Williams lines up for his 100th KHL game.
CSKA’s forward Maxim Mamin can reach his 200th league point (currently at 199).
