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KHL World Games bring Spartak and Dinamo Minsk to Tashkent!
The KHL matchday features four exciting games, highlighted by the KHL World Games clash in Tashkent, where Dinamo Minsk takes on Spartak. This historic game marks the first World Games experience for Dinamo and a return for Spartak to action beyond the league’s borders. Earlier, Severstal hosts Avtomobilist, with the Steelers chasing a fifth straight win. In Moscow, CSKA faces Neftekhimik, aiming to extend their seven-game winning streak. Lastly, Lokomotiv welcomes HC Sochi, looking to cement their top position while Sochi fights to end an eight-game skid.
The KHL World Games return with a showdown between Dinamo Minsk and Spartak in Tashkent. Uzbekistan is the 16th country to host at KHL game, and Tashkent – Uzbekistan’s capital and most populous city – is the 49th venue. Spartak has already played beyond the KHL’s traditional borders – in 2010 in Davos, Switzerland, then in 2018 in Tallinn, Estonia. For Dinamo, this will be the first World Games experience. Vadim Shipachyov may have a further chance to celebrate, as the productive veteran may become the first KHL player in history to reach 950 points. The Bisons enter today’s game on a three-match winning streak, with victories coming in road games against Amur (5:2), Traktor (1:3) and Ak Bars (1:3). Spartak, instead, after the December break lost to CSKA (4:5 OT) on Thursday. The winning streak gave Dinamo Minsk the seventh place in the West, with an eight-point advantage over ninth-seed Vityaz. Spartak is the second seed in the Conference.
Earlier in the matchday, one of Dinamo Minsk’s rivals for playoffs qualification, Severstal, hosts Avtomobilist. The Steelers won their previous four matches, and will be hunting a fifth straight win. The Motormen couldn’t celebrate for several consecutive games, but finally returned to win on Friday, with an unexpected 3:1 win in Yaroslavl. Avtomobilist slipped down to fourth place in the East, and will be seeking a win to recover some of the lost ground. Severstal is the sixth seed in the West, just above Dinamo Minsk. After this game, the Steelers will continue their homestand, while Avtomobilist will fly back home.
In Moscow, CSKA welcomes Neftekhimik. The Muscovites won seven consecutive matches, and they looked unstoppable in some of them, although they needed extra time three times, including in the last outing, against Spartak. If the Wolves’ task for today’s game wasn’t daunting enough, Neftekhimik’s last win in Moscow against CSKA dates back to 2010 (2:0). Moreover, Neftekhimik was overcame by Avangard in seventh place after the Hawks defeated the team on Thursday.
In the last game of the matchday, Lokomotiv will try to return to victory hosting HC Sochi. The Railwaymen are still on the top of the league’s table, and defeated Sochi twice this season. The Black Sea franchise is currently on an eight-game losing streak, and they will play another two games on the road, with an eight-game trip getting closer to its end. At this point, it’s unlikely that HC Sochi will be able to qualify for postseason, as the team misses playoff action for five years already.
14:00: Severstal (22-14-0, 6th W) vs Avtomobilist (20-11-4, 4th E)
About the game
Severstal enters the fifth game of a six-match home series on a four-game winning streak.
Avtomobilist ends a five-game road trip following a win over Lokomotiv on Friday (3:1).
Severstal’s forward Kirill Pilipenko is on a four-game scoring streak, with 6 (3+3) points over that span.
Severstal’s forward Daniil Aimurzin is also on a four-game scoring streak, with 6 (2+4) points.
Injury list
Avtomobilist: Nick Ebert, Daniil Karpovich.
Milestone alert
Avtomobilist’s forward Brooks Macek may score his 250th KHL point (currently at 249), while Stepan Khripunov may reach 100 (currently at 99).
14:00: CSKA (21-7-7, 4th W) vs Neftekhimik (13-13-10, 8th E)
About the game
CSKA enters the third game of a four-match home series on a seven-game winning streak.
Neftekhimik starts a two-game road trip following a loss to Avangard on Thursday (3:4 OT).
CSKA’s forward Vitaly Abramov is on a four-game scoring streak, with 6 (4+2) points over that span.
CSKA’s forward Prokhor Poltapov is also on a four-game scoring streak, with 5 (1+4) points.
CSKA’s forward Maxim Sorkin is on a three-game scoring streak, with 5 (3+2) points.
Neftekhimik’s forward Andrei Belozyorov is on a four-game scoring streak, with 6 (5+1) points.
Injury list
CSKA: Yegor Fateyev, Dmitry Samorukov.
Neftekhimik: Roman Abrosimov, Alexander Dergachyov.
Milestone alert
Neftekhimik’s forward Vladislav Leshchenko lines up for his 500th KHL game. He may celebrate netting his 100th league tally (currently at 99).
Neftekhimik’s forward German Tochilkin reaches 100 league appearances.
17:00: Lokomotiv (29-7-2, 1st W) vs HC Sochi (11-21-3, 11th W)
About the game
Lokomotiv ends a two-game home series following a loss to Lokomotiv on Friday (1:3).
HC Sochi enters the seventh game of an eight-match road trip on an eight-match losing streak.
The seasons series between the two teams is 2-0 (3:1, 2:1).
Lokomotiv’s defenseman Martin Gernat had an assist in each of his previous three matches.
17:00: Dinamo Minsk (19-13-4, 7th W) vs Spartak (23-8-5, 2nd W)
About the game
Dinamo Minsk starts a four-game home series and won its previous three matches.
Spartak, who defeated Dinamo Minsk earlier this season (5:2), enters the seventh game of a thirteen-match road trip following a loss to CSKA on Thursday (4:5 OT).
Dinamo Minsk’s defenseman Rob Hamilton had one assist in each of his previous three matches.
Spartak’s defenseman Michal Cajkovsky had at least one assist in each of his previous four matches, totaling five helpers.
Spartak’s forward Emil Galimov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 5 (2+3) points over that span.
Injury list
Dinamo Minsk: Daniil Sotishvili.
Spartak: Andrei Mironov
Milestone alert
Dinamo Minsk’s forward Vadim Shipachyov may reach 950 KHL points (currently at 948).
