Avangard, Metallurg eyeing to double their advantage, SKA is aiming to tie!

Three series will see their second game today, with both the Eastern giants looking to enlarge their gap over the opposition. Then, SKA will seek revenge against Torpedo for game one’s defeat in front of a record-breaking crowd.

13:30: Avangard vs Lada

Series stand
1-0 (5:1)

About the game
In Lada’s first playoff action since the inaugural KHL season, Avangard had an easy home win with a commanding 5:1 score. The Hawks enjoyed five different scorers, with young Mikhail Gulyayev taking center stage with a goal and an assist. Tempers were hot at the end of the third period, with a fight sparking up between Mark Verba and Vladislav Syomin. Will the two big guys have a second round today?
Avangard’s forward Nikolai Prokhorkin is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (3+1) points over that span.
Lada’s defenseman Georgy Solyannikov is also on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (1+2) points.

Injury list
Avangard: Roman Abrosimov, Ivan Telegin.
Lada: Nikolai Demidov, Alexei Ozhgikhin, Ivan Romanov.

Milestone alert
Lada’s goalie Vladislav Podyapolsky may celebrate his 100^th KHL victory.

14:30: Metallurg vs Amur

Series stand
1-0 (2:1)

About the game
Back in the playoffs for the first time since 2018, the Tigers faced a tough task on the road against the East’s top gun. Today’s game was another close-fought affair, with Magnitka eventually claiming a narrow verdict in the third period helped by a tally by its captain Yegor Yakovlev and 28 saves by goalie Ilya Nabokov.
Metallurg’s defenseman Yegor Yakovlev is on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (2+1) points over that span.
Amur’s forward Jan Drozg is also on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (2+2) points.

Injury list
Amur: Evgeny Grachyov, Pyotr Khokhryakov, Sergei Lapin, Cameron Lee.

17:00: SKA vs Torpedo

Series stand
0-1 (2:5)

About the game
Doubles from Sergei Goncharuk and Vasily Atanasov secured Torpedo a win in the first game of the series. Then, with seconds left in the closing frame, Vladislav Firstov potted another empty-netter to ensure that the first-ever playoff game at the SKA Arena ended in a home loss. It wasn’t a real sensation, though – Torpedo played very well and forced SKA to always be in a chasing position within the game. Game two will be even more exciting.
SKA’s forward Sergei Tolchinsky is on a three-game scoring streak, with 5 (3+2) points over that span.

Injury list
SKA: Vladimir Alistrov, Ivan Zinchenko, Andrei Pedan, Borna Rendulic.
Torpedo: Kirill Kirsanov.