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Conference clashes: key matchups in the East and West
With four games on today's schedule, the race for playoff spots heats up in both conferences. In the West, Dinamo Minsk aims to extend its winning streak against a struggling Torpedo, while Severstal looks to bounce back against Spartak. Over in the East, Neftekhimik battles to end its skid against Sibir, and Ak Bars hosts Avangard in a pivotal clash for playoff positioning. The intensity ramps up as teams fight for crucial points.
The matchday will start with a key matchup in the Western Conference, with Dinamo Minsk facing Torpedo. The two sides just met on Saturday, with the Bisons running away with a shutout, 3:0 win, as Brady Lyle, Sam Anas, and Nikita Pyshkailo found the back of the net and Vasily Demchenko posting his second blanking with the Dinamo Minsk jersey – the 23rd in his career. The goalie had an impressive start of his career with the Bisons and will be looking to gain another victory for his new team, which is running a four-game winning streak and climbed up to sixth place in the West’s standings. On the other hand, Torpedo lost its last couple of games and has only one win in the last five – the Nizhny Novgorod side risks failing to qualify for the postseason.
The other Western Conference’s game of the day sees Severstal facing Spartak. In the first encounter this season, the Muscovites gained a 4:1 victory and will be trying to build a new winning streak today. However, the Steelers will certainly want to return to victory after losing to Dynamo Moscow in their first 2025 game. In the standings, Severstal is the seventh seed in the West, while Spartak – at their first game in 2025 – is the third.
In the Eastern Conference, the battle for a playoff placement will be even tighter, with Neftekhimik hosting Sibir and Avangard paying a visit to Kazan. In Nizhnekamsk, the Wolves will be trying to recover and bounce back from a six-game skid, while Sibir will seek to stretch its winning streak, now at five consecutive games. Moreover, the Novosibirsk side defeated Neftekhimik twice earlier in the season.
In Kazan, another classic Eastern Conference matchup will certainly gather a lot of fans in the stands. Both Ak Bars and Avangard won their last game, against Lada (3:1) and Neftekhimik (5:1), respectively. Today, the stakes will be high especially for the Hawks, who are still seeking a better positioning in the Eastern Conference standings. Avangard is the seventh seed in the table, while Ak Bars retains a solid spot in the top four.
14:10: Dinamo Minsk (23-13-5, 6th W) vs Torpedo (17-15-8, 8th W)
About the game
Dinamo Minsk starts a three-game home series on a four-match winning streak.
Torpedo plays the lone road game of the series following two straight losses.
The season series between the two sides is 2-1 (5:2, 1:2 OT, 3:0).
Dinamo Minsk’s goalie Vasily Demchenko is on a 100:11 shutout streak.
Dinamo Minsk’s defenseman Brady Lyle is on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (2+1) points over that span.
Injury list
Torpedo: Mikhail Abramov, Markus Phillips.
Milestone alert
Torpedo’s forward Nikita Artamonov lines up for his 100th league appearance.
17:00: Neftekhimik (13-17-11, 10th E) vs Sibir (18-18-3, 8th E)
About the game
Neftekhimik enters the fourth game of a five-match home series on a six-game losing streak.
Sibir enters the fifth game of a seven-match road trip on a five-game winning streak.
The season series between the two teams is 0-2 (2:5, 1:2).
Injury list
Neftekhimik: Roman Abrosimov, Alexander Dergachyov, Yegor Korbit.
Sibir: Fyodor Gordeyev.
Milestone alert
Neftekhimik’s forward Vyacheslav Leshchenko may reach 100 KHL goals (currently at 99).
17:00: Ak Bars (25-12-2, 3rd E) vs Avangard (19-18-3, 7th E)
About the game
Ak Bars enters the fourth game of a six-match home series following a win over Lada on Thursday (3:1).
Avangard, who defeated Ak Bars this season (4:1), is in the middle of a three-game road trip and defeated Neftekhimik on Friday (5:1).
Ak Bars’ forward Dmitrij Jaskin netted a goal in each of his previous three matches.
Ak Bars’ forward Nic Petan is also on a three-game scoring streak, with 5 (1+4) points over that span.
Avangard’s forward Nail Yakupov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (2+2) points.
Injury list
Ak Bars: Yegor Babenko, Mitchell Miller.
Avangard: Sergei Boikov, Emil Galimov, Alex Grant, Vladimir Tkachyov.
17:00: Severstal (25-16-0, 7th W) vs Spartak (25-9-5, 3rd W)
About the game
Severstal is in the middle of a three-game home series following a loss to Dynamo Moscow on Thursday (2:7).
Spartak, who defeated Severstal earlier in the season (4:1), enters the tenth game of a thirteen-match road trip after defeating Vityaz on Dec. 29 (4:2).
Spartak’s forward Nikolai Goldobin is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (1+3) points over that span.
Injury list
Severstal: Adam Liska.
Spartak: Ansel Galimov, Andrei Mironov.
Milestone alert
Severstal’s forward Danil Aimurzin may reach 100 KHL points (currently at 99).
