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Neftekhimik hosts Sibir, Severstal faces Kunlun Red Star
Only two games are on tap on a light KHL Friday, one per conference.
For the second time this season, Neftekhimik will face Sibir, and the Wolves will try to take revenge for the 5-2 away loss on Sept 17. Currently, Nizhnekamsk is on a three-game winning streak, with victories over Lada (3:2 SO) and twice over Amur (4:1, 4:3 SO). Moreover, Oleg Leontyev’s team has earned points in five consecutive games and is temporarily in the top four of the Eastern Conference, tied in points with Sibir (17). The visitors will conclude a five-game road trip, having lost to Lada (3:4 OT) two days earlier, despite leading three times during the game. Sibir will be without forward Taylor Beck due to injury, but Dmitry Ovchinnikov has returned to the lineup and made his first appearance of the season in Togliatti. Defenseman Trevor Murphy has just tied the record for the longest scoring streak by a defenseman in the KHL and will be looking to extend it in the next game.
Kunlun Red Star will try to get revenge on Severstal for the home defeat a month ago (2:4). Currently, the Dragons are on a three-game losing streak, and in the last match against Lokomotiv, Mikhail Kravets’ team was leading by two goals but let the victory slip away in the final moments of the closing frame. With 11 points, the Dragons are outside the playoff zone in the Western Conference. Severstal has five more points and is riding a two-game winning streak, with victories over SKA (4:3) and Dinamo Minsk (3:2 SO).
19:00: Neftekhimik (7-4-3, 4th E) vs Sibir (8-5-1, 3rd E)
About the game
Neftekhimik ends a four-game home series on a three-match winning streak.
Sibir, who has defeated Neftekhimik earlier this season (5:2), ends a five-game road trip following a loss to Lada on Wednesday (3:4 OT).
Neftekhimik’s forward Alexander Dergachyov is on a five-game scoring streak, with 5 (1+4) points over that span.
Sibir’s defenseman Trevor Murphy is on a ten-game scoring streak, with 17 (3+14) points over that span.
Sibir’s forward Valentin Pyanov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (2+1) points.
Sibir’s forward Vladislav Kara is also on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (1+2) points.
Injury list
Neftekhimik: Vladimir Bryukvin.
19:00: Severstal (8-6-0, 6th W) vs Kunlun Red Star (5-8-1, 10th W)
About the game
Severstal, who defeated Kunlun Red Star earlier this season (4:2), ends today a three-game home series and won its previous couple of matches.
Kunlun Red Star ends a six-game road trip on a three-match losing streak.
Injury list
Severstal: Andrei Churkin, Ioannis Kaldis, Konstantin Shostak.
Kunlun Red Star: Ryan Merkley, Dylan Somerby.
