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Severstal hosts CSKA, SKA welcomes Lokomotiv
Two games are on tap today, both in the Western Conference, with SKA seeking a return to victory against Lokomotiv, and Severstal facing off against CSKA.
Severstal returns to Cherepovets after a short trip in the Moscow Region, with one win against Vityaz (2:1) and a loss to Dynamo Moscow (2:3), and a recent win over SKA in St. Petersburg (7:4). CSKA also had a win in its most recent outing, with an extra-time victory over Sibir (4:3 SO) after a tough loss in Omsk (0:4) as the Muscovites continue their road trip that will continue with a final derby against Spartak. Ilya Vorobyov’s men are currently the second team in the Western Conference, while Severstal, who defeated CSKA in the first encounter of the season between the two sides, is the fifth seed.
Then, in St. Petersburg, SKA will try to redeem itself after a long streak of four consecutive defeats. In this stretch, SKA lost to Severstal (4:7), Lokomotiv (3:4 OT), Dynamo Moscow (4:5), and Spartak (0:5). Other than the recent matchup, the two sides met another four times, with the Railwaymen claiming three further wins against SKA’s one. The St. Petersburg team is now in seventh place in the West, while Lokomotiv is currently leading the league’s standings and is on a six-game winning streak. Most recently, the team collected a win in Astana (3:0), with goalie Maxim Mayorov (Vasily Koshechkin’s son) earning a shutout in his debut match. In other news, SKA defenseman Anthony De Angelo just left the team.
19:00: Severstal (28-17-1, 5th W) vs CSKA (27-12-7, 2nd W)
About the game
Severstal, who defeated CSKA earlier this season (4:2), starts a two-game home series fresh off a win against Severstal on Thursday (7:4).
CSKA enters the third game of a four-match road trip following a win over Sibir on Sunday (4:3 SO).
Severstal’s forward Timur Mukhanov had an assist in each of his previous three matches.
Injury list
Severstal: Yaroslav Dyblenko.
CSKA: Dmitry Samorukov.
Milestone alert
Severstal’s forward Ruslan Abrosimov lines up for his 200th league appearance.
CSKA may reach 750 KHL wins.
CSKA’s goalie Pavel Khomchenko may play his 100th KHL game.
19:30: SKA (25-15-5, 7th W) vs Lokomotiv (38-8-2, 1st W)
About the game
SKA enters the second game of a five-match home series on a four-game losing streak.
Lokomotiv enters the third game of a four-match road trip on a six-game winning streak.
The season series between the two teams is 1-4 (0:2, 4:3 OT, 2:3, 2:3, 3:4 OT).
SKA’s forward Sergei Plotnikov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (1+3) points over that span.
SKA’s forward Mikhail Grigorenko had at least one assist in his previous three matches, totaling five helpers.
SKA’s defenseman Alexander Nikishin is also on a three-game scoring streak, with 5 (3+2) points.
Lokomotiv’s goalie Maxim Mayorov is on a 60:00 shutout streak.
Lokomotiv’s forward Artur Kayumov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 5 (2+3) points.
Lokomotiv’s forward Alexander Radulov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 6 (4+2) points.
Injury list
SKA: Pavel Akolzin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Mikhail Vorobyov.
Lokomotiv: Daniil Isayev, Alexander Yelesin.
Milestone alert
Lokomotiv’s forward Denis Alexeyev lines up for his 500th KHL appearance.
