Avangard faces Salavat Yulaev in an Eastern Conference classic!

Just one game is on tap on a light KHL Wednesday, with a classic matchup in the East.

All eyes will be on the Avangard vs. Salavat Yulaev today, with the two Eastern giants clashing for the fourth time this season. The Ufa team prevailed twice, with the Hawks taking one game. The most recent encounter happened not long ago, on Jan. 20. Semyon Vyazovoi stopped 26 shots as Salavat Yulaev claimed a 4:0 home win in front of a packed arena, with Joshua Leivo netting a hat-trick and Denis Yan getting his tenth of the season. However, the Ufa team has then only defeated HC Sochi in the next game (8:1), collecting losses to SKA (2:3) and Ak Bars (3:4 OT). After the loss to Salavat Yulaev, Avangard lost again, to Avtomobilist (1:2), but returned to victory in a home game against Admiral (4:1). The Ufa team is currently the third seed in the Eastern Conference’s standings, while Avangard is in sixth place with a twelve-point gap. Salavat Yulaev risks being without top sniper Leivo due to an injury suffered in the Green Derby in Kazan.

16:30: Avangard (25-20-3, 6^th E) vs Salavat Yulaev (31-15-3, 3^rd E)
About the game

Avangard is in the middle of a three-game home series and defeated Admiral on Monday (4:1).

Salavat Yulaev ends a four-game road trip on a two-match losing streak.

The season series between the two teams is 1-2 (2:4, 3:2, 0:4).

Salavat Yulaev’s goalie Semyon Vyazovoi is on a 65:13 shutout streak.

Salavat Yulaev’s forward Joshua Leivo is on a six-game scoring streak, with 13 (11+2) points over that span.

Salavat Yulaev’s forward Nathan Todd is also on a six-game scoring streak, with 8 (1+7) points.

Salavat Yulaev’s forward Alexander Chmelevsky is on a four-game scoring streak, with 6 (1+5) points.

Salavat Yulaev’s forward Sheldon Rempal is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (3+1) points.

Injury list

Avangard: Sergei Boikov, Alex Grant, Michael McLeod, Nikolai Prokhorkin, Alexei Solovyov, Vladimir Tkachyov.

Salavat Yulaev: Gleb Kuzmin.

Milestone alert

Avangard’s forward Ryan Spooner may score his 250^th KHL point (currently at 249).