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Dynamo Moscow, SKA may clinch a playoff spot today!
The Railwaymen were the first team to qualify for the 2024 Gagarin Cup playoffs, and they may find another two teams to clinch a spot in the postseason – Dynamo Moscow and SKA. Interestingly enough, SKA won’t hit the ice today, but the St. Petersburg side still has a chance if Vityaz loses to Torpedo in regulation today. Dynamo Moscow faces Neftekhimik for the second time today, following a first victory (3:2 OT) when the season was younger. The Wolves are also on the hunt of a playoff spot, but definitely on another place – Neftekhimik currently sits on the ninth spot in the East, and losing today would be a huge blow to its hopes. The Blue-and-Whites can clinch a postseason spot should they defeat Neftekhimik in regulation or if Vityaz loses to Torpedo.
Competing with Neftekhimik is Sibir, the Eastern Conference’s eighth seed. The Novosibirsk side hosts Salavat Yulaev today as Ufa claimed two victories earlier this season. In the East’s remaining game, Ak Bars welcomes Lada following a defeat in Sochi, while Torpedo faces Vityaz – the Nizhny Novgorod side has defeated the Moscow Region team three times this season, with three victories.
15:30: Sibir (23-20-9, 8th E) vs Salavat Yulaev (31-16-4, 3rd E)
About the game
Sibir plays the lone home game of the series following a loss to Admiral on Monday (2:5).
Salavat Yulaev ends a four-game road trip and lost to Barys on Tuesday (2:3 SO).
Salavat Yulaev has collected two wins over Sibir this season so far (2:0, 3:2 OT).
Sibir’s forward Andy Andreoff is on a three-game scoring streak, with 5 (3+2) points over that span.
Injury list
Salavat Yulaev: Gleb Kuzmin, Joshua Leivo.
19:00: Ak Bars (29-20-2, 7th E) vs Lada (26-16-11, 5th E)
About the game
Ak Bars starts a two-game home series following a loss to HC Sochi on Tuesday (1:3).
Lada ends a three-game road trip on a two-match winning streak.
The season series between the two teams is 1-2 (3:6, 2:3, 2:0).
Ak Bars’ forward Alexander Radulov and Lada’s forward Dmitry Kugryshev are on an identical three-game scoring streak, with 3 (1+2) points over that span.
Lada’s goalie Vladislav Podyapolsky is on a 62:04 shutout streak.
Lada’s defenseman Maxim Berezin is on a five-game scoring streak, with 6 (1+5) points.
Injury list
Ak Bars: Dmitrij Jaskin.
Lada: Nikolai Demidov, Pavel Koltygin, Alexei Ozhgikhin, Nikolai Vladimirov.
19:00: Torpedo (30-18-3, 4th W) vs Vityaz (16-29-6, 11th W)
About the game
Torpedo is in the middle of a three-game home series and defeated Metallurg on Tuesday (7:4).
Vityaz enters the third game of a four-match road trip following a loss to Spartak also on Tuesday (1:2).
Torpedo has collected three wins over Vityaz this season (3:1, 4:1, 4:1).
Injury list
Torpedo: Vitaly Atanasov, Nikolai Kovalenko.
Vityaz: Scott Wilson.
Milestone alert
Vityaz’s goalie Dmitry Shikin has a chance to record his 10th league shutout.
19:30: Dynamo Moscow (34-13-4, 2nd W) vs Neftekhimik (21-23-9, 9th E)
About the game
Dynamo Moscow, who has already defeated Neftekhimik this season (3:2 OT), enters the second game of a four-match home series on a five-game winning streak.
Neftekhimik ends a two-game road trip on a two-match losing streak.
Dynamo Moscow’s forward Nikita Gusev is on a five-game scoring streak, with 14 (3+11) points over that span.
Dynamo Moscow’s forward Eric O’Dell is on a five-game scoring streak, with 7 (3+4) points.
Dynamo Moscow’s defenseman Brennan Manell is also on a five-game scoring streak, with 6 (1+5) points.
Dynamo Moscow’s forward Cedric Paquette is on a five-game scoring streak, with 8 (7+1) points.
Injury list
Dynamo Moscow: Maxim Dzhioshvili.
Neftekhimik: Rafael Bikmullin, Emil Garipov, Ilya Khokhlov, Ruslan Petrishchev, Nail Yakupov, Artyom Zagidulin.
