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Salavat Yulaev facing Avangard in an Eastern classic, Torpedo hosts Spartak
It’s an exciting start of the week with five games and ten teams hitting the ice, starting in the Far East with Admiral facing Ak Bars again after Friday’s Kazan win. Then, Traktor welcomes Vityaz, Salavat Yulaev clashes with Avangard in the matchday’s central game, Neftekhimik battles Metallurg, and Torpedo faces off with Spartak in today’s only Western Conference’s match.
Once again, the matchday – and the new week – will start in the Far East, with Admiral facing Ak Bars for a revenge match after Saturday’s Kazan 5:2 win. It was the third Ak Bars’ win over the Sailors this season. After the head-to-head, Ak Bars is in second place in the Eastern Conference’s table, while Admiral is seventh, just two points above the eight seed.
Then, in Chelyabinsk, Traktor faces Vityaz. Both teams are in good shape. Traktor accumulated wins over Traktor (5:3), Sibir (4:3 SO), and Neftekhimik (4:2) and will return home for the next three matches. The Moscow Region franchise defeated HC Sochi (2:1 OT) and Lada (6:2). As for the standings, Traktor is still the first team in the Eastern Conference, while Vityaz continues its fight to catch the last spot in the West, currently sitting in tenth place with a seven-point gap to the playoff line.
In the meantime, Salavat Yulaev hosts Avangard for an Eastern Conference classic. The teams traded wins earlier in the season, but the Hawks seems to be in hottest shape, with six straight victories, including a nice one over CSKA on Friday (4:0), with goalie Nikita Serebryakov earning his first shutout for Avangard. The Ufa team has just two wins in its last five matches and is currently the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, with Avangard being in sixth place.
In the last today’s game in the Eastern Conference, Neftekhimik hosts Metallurg. Both teams are on a losing streak, with the Wolves having lost their last four matches, and Magnitka having accumulated two straight defeats. Both teams will want to return to victory – Neftekhimik to avoid losing too much ground as they still have postseason hopes, Metallurg will want to return to the East’s top four. Two losses in the Far East had Magnitka slipping down to fifth place in the conference’s standings as the team ends a road trip with today’s game.
In the last match of the day, the action moves to the West with Torpedo battling Spartak. Both sides won their last outing, with the Red-and-Whites shutting out Kunlun Red Star (2:0) and Torpedo defeating Lada (3:2). Their position in the standings is very different, with Torpedo being the eight seed in the conference, while Spartak retained its spot in the top four.
12:30: Admiral (20-19-7, 7th E) vs Ak Bars (29-14-2, 2nd E)
About the game
Admiral ends a three-game home series and lost to Ak Bars on Saturday (2:5).
Ak Bars ends a four-game road trip and most recently defeated Admiral.
The season series between the two teams is 0-3 (0:2, 2:4, 2:5).
Admiral’s forward Yegor Petukhov is on a five-game scoring streak, with 7 (3+4) points over that span.
Admiral’s forward Nikita Soshnikov is also on a five-game scoring streak, with 6 (3+3) points.
Ak Bars’ forward Artyom Galimov is on a seven-game scoring streak, with 8 (4+4) points.
Injury list
Admiral: Yegor Stepanov.
Ak Bars: Yegor Babenko, Mitchell Miller.
Milestone alert
Ak Bars’ forward Semyon Koshelev may tally his 100th goal in the KHL (currently at 99).
Ak Bars’ forward Kirill Semyonov may reach 200 assists in the league (currently at 198).
Ak Bars’ forward Dmitrij Jaskin lines up for his 300th league appearance. He has 164 goals and 104 assists in his KHL career.
17:00: Traktor (30-13-5, 1st E) vs Vityaz (18-22-5, 10th W)
About the game
Traktor starts a three-game home series on a three-match winning streak.
Vityaz is in the middle of a three-game road trip and won its previous couple of matches.
Traktor’s forward Vitaly Kravtsov is on a five-game scoring streak, with 9 (5+4) points over that span.
Injury list
Traktor: Nikita Korostelyov, Ostap Safin.
Vityaz: Alexander Daryin, Sergei Kalinin, Grigory Vashchenko.
Milestone alert
Traktor’s defenseman Steve Kampfer lines up for his 100th league appearance.
Traktor’s goalie Zach Fucale may record his 50th KHL win.
Vityaz’s goalie Dmitry Shikin may reach 10 KHL shutouts.
17:00: Salavat Yulaev (29-14-2, 4th E) vs Avangard (24-18-3, 6th E)
About the game
Salavat Yulaev ends a three-game home series following a loss to Avtomobilist on Friday (1:4).
Avangard starts a two-game road trip on a six-match winning streak.
The teams traded wins earlier in the season (4:2, 2:3).
Avangard’s goalie Nikita Serebryakov is on a 114:11 shutout streak.
Avangard’s forward Reid Boucher is on a five-game scoring streak, with 8 (5+3) points over that span.
Avangard’s forward Konstantin Okulov had an assist in each of his last five matches.
Avangard’s defenseman Damir Sharipzyanov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (2+2) points.
Injury list
Salavat Yulaev: Gleb Kuzmin.
Avangard: Sergei Boikov, Emil Galimov, Alex Grant, Alexei Solovyov, Vladimir Tkachyov.
Milestone alert
Salavat Yulaev’s forward Joshua Leivo may reach 100 KHL goals (currently at 99).
Avangard’s forward Nikolai Prokhorkin may reach 350 points in the KHL (currently at 348), while Ryan Spooner may reach 250 (currently at 249).
19:30: Neftekhimik (14-20-12, 10th E) vs Metallurg (28-16-3, 5th E)
About the game
Neftekhimik enters the second game of a six-match home series on a four-game losing streak.
Metallurg ends a three-game road trip following two straight defeats.
The season series between the two teams is (2:0, 3:2, 0:1 SO).
Injury list
Neftekhimik: Roman Abrosimov, Alexander Dergachyov, Yegor Korbit.
Metallurg: Troy Josephs, Makar Khabarov, Vladislav Yeryomenko.
Milestone alert
Neftekhimik’s forward Vyacheslav Leshchenko may tally his 100th league goal (currently at 99).
Metallurg’s forward Igor Geraskin may reach 200 KHL points (currently at 198).
19:30: Torpedo (20-17-8, 8th W) vs Spartak (27-13-5, 4th W)
About the game
Torpedo starts a three-game home series fresh off a win over Lada on Thursday (3:2).
Spartak plays the lone road game of the series following a win against Kunlun Red Star on Friday (2:0).
The teams traded wins earlier in the season (2:4, 6:0).
Torpedo’s forward Kirill Voronin is on a four-game scoring streak, with 4 (1+3) points.
Spartak’s goalie Dmitry Nikolayev is on a 61:53 shutout streak.
Spartak’s forward Yegor Filin had at least one assist in each of his previous three games, totaling five helpers.
Injury list
Torpedo: Igor Larionov.
Spartak: Michal Cajkovsky, Pavel Poryadin, Yegor Savikov.
Milestone alert
Spartak’s goalies Artyom Zagidulin and Dmitry Nikolayev may reach 10 league shutouts.
