KHL press office
exclusive for khl.ru
Sibir and Dynamo Moscow face off as Ak Bars hosts SKA in today’s KHL action
Get ready for an exciting Friday in the KHL, with five matchups highlighting the action. Sibir looks to break a three-game losing streak as they take on Dynamo Moscow, while Ak Bars faces SKA in a highly anticipated showdown. Salavat Yulaev hosts Barys, HC Sochi squares off against Kunlun Red Star, and Vityaz welcomes Dinamo Minsk in a key Western Conference clash.
Sibir will seek a return to victory after three straight losses, including a 0:1, SO defeat to SKA on Wednesday. It’s the last chance to win in front of the home crowd before embarking on a new road trip. The Muscovites, on their hand, collected a 5:3 win in Omsk after losing at home to Lada, and have key forwards Nikita Gusev and Dmitry Rashevsky on active scoring streaks. Other than to SKA, Sibir lost to Salavat Yulaev (2:3 SO) and Metallurg (1:4), and are currently the eighth seed in the East, while Dynamo Moscow sits in fourth place in the West.
In Ufa, Salavat Yulaev hosts Barys with the two sides facing each other for the second time this season. The first encounter ended with Salavat Yulaev celebrating a 3:2, away win, with Yegor Suchkov netting his fist of the season as his tally was the decisive one for his team’s victory. Salavat Yulaev is keeping its spot in the Easts’ top-four, while Barys has recently overtaken Amur in eleventh place.
However, the top game of the day will perhaps be Ak Bars facing SKA. Both teams won their last game, but SKA got out of a five-game losing streak, while Ak Bars regularly won games—except if the opponent was Lokomotiv. SKA’s losing streak hasn’t impacted the standings much, with the St. Petersburg franchise still in third place in the Western Conference at short distance from Spartak. Ak Bars, on its hand, is the third team in the East, tied with Salavat Yulaev at 31 points.
The action then moves to the Western Conference for two games. First, HC Sochi hosts Kunlun Red Star. The first encounter between the two sides ended with the Black Sea franchise claiming a commanding 4:0 victory, and today the Dragons will be battling hard to revenge and halt their three-game skid, with losses to Ak Bars (0:5), Spartak (1:5), and Severstal (3:4). HC Sochi starts today a five-game home series after a heavy loss to Torpedo (1:7) that stopped a two-match winning streak.
In the last game of the matchday, Vityaz welcomes Dinamo Minsk. Both teams will be battling out fiercely as it’ll be a key game for the postseason qualification, with Vityaz being the ninth seed in the West and Dinamo Minsk preceding the Moscow Region team by just three points. The Bisons defeated Vityaz twice this season, with the Moscow Region franchise claiming one game in the season series.
15:30: Sibir (10-11-3, 8th E) vs Dynamo Moscow (14-8-3, 4th W)
About the game
Sibir ends a four-game home series on a three-match losing streak.
Dynamo Moscow is in the middle of a three-game road trip and won against Avangard on Wednesday (5:3).
Sibir’s goalie Denis Kostin is on an 88:30 shutout streak.
Dynamo Moscow’s forward Nikita Gusev is on a four-game scoring streak, with 7 (3+4) points over that span.
Dynamo Moscow’s forward Dmitry Rashevsky is also on a four-game scoring streak, with 4 (2+2) points.
Milestone alert
Sibir’s and Dynamo Moscow’s defensemen Roman Rukavishnikov and Artyom Sergeyev may reach 100 league points (currently both at 99).
17:00: Salavat Yulaev (15-7-1, 4th E) vs Barys (7-16-2, 11th E)
About the game
Salavat Yulaev, who defeated Barys earlier this season (3:2), is in the middle of a three-game home series and won its previous couple of matches.
Barys enters the third game of a four-match road trip following a win against Neftekhimik on Wednesday (2:1 OT).
Salavat Yulaev’s forward Sheldon Rempal is on a five-game scoring streak, with 5 (2+3) points over that span.
Salavat Yulaev’s forward Danil Alalykin is on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (2+1) points.
Injury list
Salavat Yulaev: Gleb Kuzmin.
Barys: Viktor Antipin, Damir Zhafyarov.
Milestone alert
Barys’ forward Dinmukhamed Kaiyrzhan may line up for his 100th league appearance.
19:00: Ak Bars (15-7-1, 3rd E) vs SKA (16-9-2, 3rd W)
About the game
Ak Bars enters the second game of a four-match home series following a win over Kunlun Red Star on Wednesday (5:0).
SKA ends a three-game road trip and defeated Sibir also on Wednesday (1:0 SO).
Ak Bars’ goalie Amir Miftakhov is on a 60:44 shutout streak.
SKA’s goalie Yegor Zavragin is on a 110:00 shutout streak.
Injury list
Ak Bars: Nic Petan.
SKA: Artyom Zemchyonok.
Milestone alert
Ak Bars forward Dmitrij Jaskin and SKA’s forward Mikhail Vorobyov may record their 100th KHL assist (currently both at 99).
Ak Bars’ goalie Timur Bilyalov may line up for his 300th league appearance.
19:30: HC Sochi (9-13-2, 11th W) vs Kunlun Red Star (8-16-2, 12th W)
About the game
HC Sochi, who defeated Kunlun Red Star earlier this season (4:0), starts a five-game home series following a loss to Torpedo on Monday (1:7).
Kunlun Red Star ends a two-game road trip on a three-match losing streak.
HC Sochi’s forward Artur Tyanulin is on a four-game scoring streak, with 4 (2+2) points over that span.
19:30: Vityaz (12-13-1, 9th W) vs Dinamo Minsk (13-10-2, 8th W)
About the game
Vityaz ends a three-game home series following a win over Severstal on Tuesday (2:0).
Dinamo Minsk starts a three-game road trip after losing to Torpedo on Wednesday (1:2 OT).
The season series between the two teams is 1-2 (1:5, 1:2, 4:1).
Injury list
Vityaz: Grigory Vashchenko.
Milestone alert
Vityaz’s goalie Dmitry Shikin may record his 10th league shutout.
Dinamo Minsk’s forward Andrei Stas may score his 200th KHL point (currently at 199).
