The KHL returns to action with seven games! Do-or-die for Lada
After the Chernyshev Division’s triumph at the 2025 Fonbet KHL All-Star Game, the league resumes its action with seven matches. Starting from the Far East, with Admiral hosting Avangard, and going on with a KHL classic when Dynamo Moscow faces SKA, games are scheduled across both Conference as the weight of each match increases.
Right before the All-Star break, the league saw its first team grabbing a ticket to the playoffs – league’s leader Lokomotiv. Today, another team has such a chance – even without playing. Traktor may book its ticket to the postseason if today Lada loses to Sibir.
The KHL matchday starts with Admiral welcoming Avangard for the fourth encounter between the two sides this season. The Hawks are up in the inner series two games to one, with a recent win on Jan. 27 (4:1), with a double coming from d-man Semyon Chistyakov. The Sailors won their last couple of matches and could accumulate a two-point advantage over Sibir in the Eastern Conference’s seventh place. They have an eleven-point cushion off ninth-placed Neftekhimik, who will play in Sochi later in the day. The Hawks remain in sixth position in the East.
In the second game in the Eastern Conference, the Novosibirsk Arena will return to club hockey after the All-Star break with a showdown between Sibir and Lada. The hosts will want to keep on pleasing their crowd as they start a four-game home series – critical for the team’s postseason hopes. Lada will try to return to winning games, but they seem to be in a deep crisis, with eight consecutive losses. The Togliatti side will play the next three games away from home. Today, they will have a last chance to retain postseason qualification hopes.
In the last game in the East, Ak Bars faces Torpedo. The Kazan side was on fire before the All-Star break, with five consecutive wins. Today we’ll see if the pause didn’t ruin their pace, with Torpedo coming to town as the teams face for the second time this season. Anvar Gatiyatulin’s team already defeated the Nizhny Novgorod side this season (3:2 OT) and will try to leverage its leaders’ shape to get to six straight wins and retain its second place in the Eastern Conference’s table.
The action then moves to the West, starting with HC Sochi hosting Neftekhimik. The Wolves are still hoping in a late surge to rise above the playoff line, but they will need to start with a win in Sochi. Neftekhimik lost its last game, in Ufa (1:4), and will fly back home after today’s match. The Black Sea franchise has two straight losses, to Traktor (2:3 OT) and Dinamo Minsk (3:5), respectively, and a qualification to the playoffs, at this point, seems unlikely, considering its 22-point gap to Torpedo.
Two games are scheduled in Moscow. The first is a real KHL classic, with Dynamo Moscow facing SKA. So far, the Blue-and-Whites have three wins over SKA in the series, although the St. Petersburg franchise managed to snatch a win a double by Alexander Nikishin, including the game-winner in extra time on Feb. 1. SKA is currently riding a five-game winning streak, with the Blue-and-Whites returning to victory after the defeat to SKA in an away game against Kunlun Red Star (4:1). Currently Dynamo Moscow is the third seed with 68 points, tied with the other two Moscow clubs, Spartak and CSKA. SKA follows in sixth place with one less point.
In the second Moscow match, CSKA hosts Vityaz. The hosts had two wins over the Moscow Region franchise, who is on a five-game losing streak. After three straight wins, CSKA suffered from a home loss to Severstal before the All-Star break (3:4). Both sides will have plenty of arguments to claim a win in today’s match, with Vityaz celebrating its 1,000th KHL game.
Seeking a victory today will be also Kunlun Red Star. The Dragons were really close to overtaking Torpedo in eighth place in the Western Conference’s standings but then lost four games in a row and have now a nine-point gap to the Nizhny Novgorod side. Coming to town today is Salavat Yulaev, who won its last three matches. Viktor Kozlov’s men defeated Avangard (4:2), Metallurg (6:4), and Neftekhimik (4:1), respectively, and retained its place in the third spot of the Conference’s standings. For today’s game, however, they will most likely have to renounce again to forward Joshua Leivo.
12:30: Admiral (23-20-10, 7th E) vs Avangard (28-21-4, 6th E)
About the game
Admiral enters the fourth game of a six-match home series and won its previous couple of games.
Avangard enters the fourth game of a five-match road trip following a win over Lada on Feb. 6 (2:1).
The season series between the two teams is 1-2 (3:2 OT, 1:2, 1:4).
Injury list
Admiral: Artyom Chmykhov, Dmitry Deryabin, Alexander Shevchenko.
Avangard: Sergei Boikov, Reid Boucher, Alex Grant, Nikita Kholodinin, Michael McLeod, Nikolai Prokhorkin, Vladimir Tkachyov.
Milestone alert
Admiral’s forward Shane Prince may reach 200 KHL points (currently at 199).
Avangard’s forward Ilya Kablukov becomes the third player in the league’s history to reach 1,000 KHL appearances, following Evgeny Biryukov and Vadim Shipachyov.
Avangard’s defenseman Semyon Chistyakov may score his 100th career point (currently at 99).
15:30: Sibir (23-20-8, 8th E) vs Lada (18-27-6, 10th E)
About the game
Sibir starts a four-game home series on a two-match winning streak.
Lada, who defeated Sibir earlier this season (4:3 OT), starts a three-game road trip following eight straight defeats.
Sibir’s defenseman Yegor Alanov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (1+3) points over that span.
Injury list
Sibir: Fyodor Gordeyev.
Lada: Vladislav Chervonenko, Nikolai Demidov, Mikhail Fisenko, Evgeny Groshev, Pavel Koltygin.
Milestone alert
Lada’s forward Dmitry Kugryshev may reach 400 KHL points (currently at 399).
19:00: Ak Bars (35-15-2, 2nd E) vs Torpedo (25-20-8, 8th W)
About the game
Ak Bars, who defeated Torpedo earlier this season (3:2 SO), ends a two-game home series on a five-match winning streak.
Torpedo starts a three-game road trip and won its previous couple of matches.
Ak Bars’ forward Dmitrij Jaskin is on a five-game scoring streak, with 8 (4+4) points over that span.
Ak Bars’ forward Artyom Galimov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 7 (5+2) points.
Ak Bars’ forward Kirill Semyonov is also on a three-game scoring streak, with 6 (2+4) points.
Ak Bars’ forward Semyon Koshelev is on on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (2+2) points.
Ak Bars’ forwards Semyon Terekhov and Alexei Pustozyorov are on an identical three-game scoring streak, with 3 (1+2) points.
Injury list
Ak Bars: Yegor Babenko, Mitchell Miller, Ilya Safonov.
Torpedo: Mikhail Abramov, Igor Larionov, Bobby Lynch.
19:30: HC Sochi (15-31-6, 11th W) vs Neftekhimik (16-24-13, 9th E)
About the game
HC Sochi starts a two-game home series following two straight defeats.
Neftekhimik, who defeated HC Sochi earlier this season (2:1), ends a three-game road trip after losing to Salavat Yulaev on Feb. 6 (1:4).
HC Sochi’s forward Denis Vengryzhanovsky is on a five-game scoring streak, with 5 (1+4) points over that span.
Injury list
Neftekhimik: Roman Abrosimov, Alexander Dergachyov, Yegor Korbit.
Milestone alert
Neftekhimik’s forward Vladislav Leshchenko may reach 100 KHL goals (currently at 99), 100 assists (currently at 99), and 200 points (currently at 198).
19:30: Dynamo Moscow (32-16-4, 3rd W) vs SKA (31-17-5, 6th W)
About the game
Dynamo Moscow starts a two-game home series after defeating Kunlun Red Star on Feb. 6 (4:1).
SKA enters the second game of a five-match road trip after defeating Vityaz also on Feb. 6 (4:2).
The season series between the two sides is 3-1 (4:2, 5:4, 5:3, 3:4 OT).
Dynamo Moscow’s forward Nikita Gusev is on a four-game scoring streak, with 7 (5+2) points over that span.
Dynamo Moscow’s forward Dylan Sykura is on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (1+2) points.
SKA’s forward Ivan Demidov had at least one assist in each of his three previous games, totaling four helpers.
Injury list
Dynamo Moscow: Artyom Ilyenko, Brennan Menell.
SKA: Arseny Gritsyuk, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Artemi Pleskhov.
Milestone alert
Dynamo Moscow’s forward Yegor Rimashevsky lines up for his 100th KHL game.
19:30: Kunlun Red Star (22-26-5, 9th W) vs Salavat Yulaev (34-15-3, 3rd E)
About the game
Kunlun Red Star, who defeated Salavat Yulaev earlier this season (5:2), enters the sixth game of an eight-match home series following four straight defeats.
Salavat Yulaev plays the lone road game of the series on a three-match winning streak.
Kunlun Red Star’s forward Jan Drozg had an assist in each of his previous three matches.
Salavat Yulaev’s goalie Semyon Vyazovoi is on a 65:13 shutout streak.
Salavat Yulaev’s forward Nathan Todd is on a nine-game scoring streak, with 11 (2+9) points over that span.
Salavat Yulaev’s forward Josua Leivo is on an eight-game scoring streak, with 16 (13+3) points.
Salavat Yulaev’s forward Sheldon Rempal is on a six-game scoring streak, with 10 (8+2) points.
Salavat Yulaev’s defenseman Dinar Khafizullin had at least one assist in each of his previous four matches, totaling five helpers.
Salavat Yulaev’s forward Daniil Alalykin is on a four-game scoring streak, with 4 (2+2) points.
Salavat Yulaev’s defenseman Mikhail Naumenkov is also on a four-game scoring streak, with 6 (1+5) points.
Injury list
Kunlun Red Star: Jack Chelios, Parker Foo, Tomas Jurco, Semyon Sinyatkin.
Salavat Yulaev: Gleb Kuzmin, Joshua Leivo, Grigory Panin.
19:30: CSKA (30-14-8, 4th W) vs Vityaz (19-27-6, 10th W)
About the game
CSKA ends a five-game home series following a loss to Severstal on Feb. 6 (3:4).
Vityaz starts a three-game road trip on a five-match losing streak.
The season series between the two teams is 2-0 (3:2, 2:1 OT).
CSKA’s defenseman Nikita Nesterov is on a four-game scoring streak, with 6 (2+4) points over that span.
CSKA’s forward Maxim Mamin is on a three-game scoring streak, with 5 (2+3) points.
Injury list
CSKA: Vitaly Abramov, Ivan Prosvetov, Dmitry Samorukov.
Vityaz: Alexander Daryin, Grigory Vashchenko.
Milestone alert
Vityaz’s goalie Dmitry Shikin may record his 10th KHL shutout.
Vityaz plays its 1,000th game in the KHL.
