Final push: last regular season matchday
The final regular season matchday features five games that will determine key playoff positions. It begins with Vityaz hosting CSKA, where the visitors can clinch fourth place in the West with a win and a Dinamo Minsk loss to Sochi in regulation. Spartak faces Lada in Moscow, aiming to secure third place under similar conditions. In the East, Admiral visits Nizhnekamsk, needing just an overtime appearance to claim seventh. Sochi hosts Dinamo Minsk, who are still in the race for third. The day ends with Dynamo Moscow taking on Severstal, with the visitors needing a single point to lock in sixth.
The last regular season matchday starts with Vityaz hosting CSKA. The guests will finish in fourth place in the Western Conference at the end of the regular season if they defeat Vityaz and Dinamo Minsk loses to HC Sochi in regulation time. Earlier this season, CSKA won all three head-to-head matchups against the Moscow Region team. Heading into the upcoming game, CSKA is on a four-game losing streak. In the last three matches, Ilya Vorobyov’s team managed to score only one goal in each contest—against Dynamo Moscow (1:2), their Minsk namesake (1:4), and Lokomotiv (1:3). Vityaz, despite finishing outside the playoffs and suffering three consecutive defeats, managed to earn a point in each of those losses, including their most recent game against Avangard (2:3 OT).
In the meantime, in Moscow, Spartak faces Lada. This game will be the last in the careers of referees Sergey Kulakov and Denis Bondar. The Red-and-Whites are closing out the regular season with a four-game home stretch. At the end of the game day, Alexei Zhamnov’s team will secure third place in the Western Conference if they defeat Togliatti’s team or if Dinamo Minsk simultaneously loses to HC Sochi in regulation time. Lada arrives in the Russian capital after two consecutive home losses to Amur. The 20-year-old goaltender Danila Ovcharik is expected to start on the net for the visitors. Spartak will be without defenseman Veniamin Korolyov due to suspension.
In the East, Admiral will seek its first win in Nizhnekamsk for six years. Earlier this season, Nizhnekamsk, which did not make the playoffs, won two of their three matchups against the Far Eastern franchise. At the moment, Admiral sits in eighth place in the Eastern Conference, tied in points with Sibir, which has already played its final regular-season game. As a result, the Sailors only need to take the game to extra time in Nizhnekamsk to secure seventh place. In that case, their first-round opponents will be Salavat Yulaev. If they fail to do so, Leonid Tambiev’s team will face Traktor instead.
Two days earlier, the two teams played their first game against each other, with Neftekhimik edging out a narrow 2:1 victory. Will the Wolves give their home fans one last reason to cheer this season?
The action continues in Sochi, where the hosts welcome Dinamo Minsk. The Belarusians have a chance to finish third in the Western Conference. To achieve this, they need to defeat HC Sochi while Spartak simultaneously loses to Lada. Dmitry Kvartalnov’s squad traveled to the Black Sea coast from Moscow, where they secured a convincing 3:1 victory over CSKA. Sochi will finish the regular season at the bottom of the Western Conference. Three days ago, they suffered a 1:3 load loss to Spartak.
Then, the matchday, and the regular season, wraps up with a game between Dynamo Moscow and Severstal. To secure sixth place in the West, Severstal only needs to avoid losing to Dynamo Moscow in regulation time. The Cherepovets team is coming off back-to-back road wins against Kunlun Red Star (5:4 SO) and Torpedo (3:2). Two days ago, the White-and-Blues struggled on home ice against Lokomotiv, falling 1:4 in a battle between the top teams in the West. Alexei Kudashov’s squad will finish the season in second place, having recorded 42 wins in 67 games.
14:00: Vityaz (24-32-11, 10th W) vs CSKA (37-21-9, 5th W)
About the game
Vityaz ends a two-game home series on a two-match losing streak.
CSKA plays the lone road game of the series on a four-match losing streak.
The season series between the two teams is 0-3 (2:3, 1:2 ОТ, 1:3).
Vityaz’s forward Derek Barach and CSKA’s forward Denis Guryanov are on an identical three-game scoring streak, with 3 (2+1) points over that span.
Injury list
Vityaz: Ivan Chekhovich, Frederik Gauthier.
CSKA: Vitaly Abramov.
Milestone alert
Vityaz’s defenseman Jeremy Roy lines up for his 200th league appearance.
Vityaz’s goalie Dmitry Shikin may record his 10th KHL shutout.
14:00: Spartak (38-20-9, 3rd W) vs Lada (22-36-9, 10th E)
About the game
Spartak, who defeated Lada earlier this season (4:2), wraps up a four-game home series following a win over HC Sochi on Thursday (3:1).
Lada plays the lone road game of the series on a two-match losing streak.
Spartak’s forward Nikolai Goldobin is on a five-game scoring streak, with 5 (4+1) points over that stretch.
Spartak’s forward Pavel Poryadin had at least one assist in each of his previous f our games, totaling five helpers.
Lada’s forward Dmitry Kugryshev is on a three-game scoring streak, with 5 (2+3) points over that span.
Lada’s defenseman Marsel Ibragimov had an assist in each of his previous three matches.
Injury list
Lada: Vladislav Chervonenko, Nikolai Demidov, Maxim Groshev, Artyom Ivanyuzhenkov, Pavel Koltygin.
Disqualifications
Spartak’s defenseman Veniamin Korolyov serves a one-match ban.
Milestone alert
Spartak’s goalies Dmitry Nikolayev and Artyom Zagidulin may each record their tenth KHL shutout.
Spartak’s defenseman Andrei Mironov may reach 200 points in the league (currently at 198).
17:00: Neftekhimik (24-26-17, 9th E) vs Admiral (28-26-13, 8th E)
About the game
Neftekhimik ends a two-game home series on a two-match winning streak.
Admiral wraps up a four-game road trip on a four-match losing streak.
The season series between the two teams is 2-1 (0:1, 3:2, 2:1).
Admiral’s forward Daniil Gutik is on a six-game scoring streak, with 8 (4+4) points over that span.
Admiral’s defenseman Libor Sulak is on a five-game scoring streak, with 6 (3+3) points.
Injury list
Neftekhimik: Roman Abrosimov, Alexander Dergachyov, Yegor Korbit, Fyodor Kroshchinsky, Luka Profaca.
Admiral: Leonid Metalnikov, Artyom Nikolayev, Shane Prince.
Milestone alert
Admiral’s defensemen Grigory Solyannikov and Artyom Chmykhov line up for their 200th KHL appearance.
17:00: HC Sochi (20-40-7, 11th W) vs Dinamo Minsk (38-21-8, 4th W)
About the game
HC Sochi plays the lone home game of the series following a loss to Spartak on Thursday (1:3).
Dinamo Minsk ends a two-game road trip after a win over CSKA on Friday (4:1).
The season series between the two teams is 2-1 (3:2, 3:5, 3:2).
Injury list
HC Sochi: Sergei Ivanov.
Dinamo Minsk: Nikita Pyshkaylo, Daniil Sotishvili.
Disqualifications
HC Sochi’s defenseman Vasily Machulin serves the first game of a two-match ban.
Milestone alert
HC Sochi’s forward Artur Tyanulin may line up for his 200th league appearance.
17:00: Severstal (40-26-1, 7th W) vs Dynamo Moscow (42-20-5, 2nd W)
About the game
Severstal plays the lone home game of the series on a two-match winning streak.
Dynamo Moscow plays the lone road game of the series following a loss to Lokomotiv on Friday (1:4).
Dynamo Moscow’s forward Jordan Weal had at least one assist in each of his previous four matches, totaling five helpers.
Injury list
Severstal: Yaroslav Dyblenko.
Milestone alert
Severstal’s forward Kirill Pilipenko may record his 100th KHL assist.
Dynamo Moscow’s forward Nikita Gusev lines up for his 700th game in the KHL. He may celebrate reaching 250 goals in the league (currently at 247).
