Busy KHL Sunday delivers six high-stakes battles across both conferences
A busy KHL Sunday brings six games across both conferences, with each matchup offering teams a vital chance to gain early-season momentum. In the East, Neftekhimik battles Lokomotiv, while Ak Bars and Metallurg face off in a rematch. The West features Severstal vs. CSKA, Spartak hosting the undefeated Torpedo, SKA welcoming Lada, and Traktor traveling to Sochi. With every team aiming to improve their record, home advantage and winning streaks are truly up for grabs across all six matchups.
This tense KHL matchday starts in the Eastern Conference, with Neftekhimik hosting Lokomotiv. After two straight losses, the Wolves finally found their first win as they defeated Dinamo Minsk on Thursday. The Bison were up by three by the end of the first period, but Neftekhimik rallied back and claimed its first win of the season. The Railwaymen had a strong start with two fast wins in the first two games, but lost to the Shanghai Dragons on Friday (1:4). Today, both teams will be seeking a win to gain points and improve their record.
In the other Eastern game of the day, Ak Bars faces Metallurg for the second time in less than ten days. It was the opener for both sides when Magnitka celebrated a 4:3 SO victory over Ak Bars. However, it ended up being the lone win for Magnitogorsk so far, with the team losing – both times in extra time – to Salavat Yulaev (2:3 OT) and Dynamo Moscow (1:2 SO). Ak Bars then went on with a win in Omsk (2:1), but then had a disappointing home loss to Avtomobilist (3:6). Tonight’s game will be an excellent chance to bounce back for both sides.
The action then moves to the Western Conference. Severstal hosts CSKA with both teams seeking a third win. The Steelers had just defeated another Moscow-based club, Spartak, with a 2:1 score, while CSKA lost to HC Sochi (0:2) on Friday after two straight wins. Today’s game promises to be an exciting clash, with both teams hunting for a win. After today’s contest, CSKA will fly back to Moscow, where it will face Spartak and Lokomotiv in two exciting matchups.
After losing to Severstal, Spartak returns with a home game against Torpedo – undefeated so far. The Nizhny Novgorod side achieved wins over Salavat Yulaev (4:3), SKA (3:2 OT), and Lada (4:3) to start the season with three consecutive victories. In their three games, the Red-and-Whites celebrated only once, in the home opener against HC Sochi (4:3), just to lose their next couple of matches, against Dinamo Minsk (0:3) and the Steelers (1:2), respectively. With Torpedo starting a five-game road trip, Spartak will be trying to bounce back and halt Nizhny Novgorod’s winning streak.
In St. Petersburg, SKA faces Lada. The Togliatti side has just lost to Torpedo (3:4), while SKA won its first game of the season on Thursday with a 5:2 victory over Traktor. To return to celebrating, Lada will have to fight history as well: the team has never defeated SKA in its KHL history, with 15 wins for the St. Petersburg franchise so far.
Another team seeking a return to victory is Traktor, who travels to Sochi for today’s game. The Black Sea franchise has two wins in three games – including a shutout victory over CSKA, while Traktor has unexpectedly only won once this season out of four matches played so far – against Neftekhimik on Tuesday (4:3). It will be an intriguing cross-conference matchup with potential for another record crowd in Sochi after more than 12,000 spectators were in attendance for the team’s win over CSKA on Friday.
14:00: Neftekhimik (1-2-0) vs Lokomotiv (2-1-0)
About the game
Neftekhimik ends a four-game home series following a win over Dinamo Minsk on Thursday (4:3).
Lokomotiv enters the second game of a four-match road trip after a loss to the Shanghai Dragons on Friday (1:4).
Injury list
Neftekhimik: Nikita Khoruzhev.
Lokomotiv: Daniil Tesanov.
Milestone alert
Neftekhimik’s forward Kirill Kapustin lines up for his 600th KHL appearance.
Lokomotiv’s forward Maxim Beryozkin plays his 300th game in the league.
Lokomotiv’s forward Artur Kayumov may score his 250th career point (currently at 248).
Lokomotiv’s forward Alexander Polunin may reach 100 KHL assists (currently at 99).
Lokomotiv’s goalie Alexei Melnichuk may record his 10th KHL shutout.
17:00: Severstal (2-1-0) vs CSKA (2-1-0)
About the game
Severstal starts a three-game home series following a win over Spartak on Thursday (2:1).
CSKA ends a two-game road trip after losing to HC Sochi on Friday (0:2).
Severstal’s defenseman Ioannis Kaldis is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (1+3) points over that span.
Injury list
CSKA: Yegor Fateyev, Danila Moiseyev, Maxim Sorkin, Vladimir Yeryomenko.
Milestone alert
Severstal’s forward Kirill Pilipenko may reach 100 KHL goals (currently at 98) and 200 league points (currently at 199).
17:00: Spartak (1-2-0) vs Torpedo (3-0-0)
About the game
Spartak ends a four-game home series and lost its previous couple of matches.
Torpedo starts a five-game road trip on a three-match winning streak.
Torpedo’s forward Sergei Goncharuk is on a four-game scoring streak, with 6 (2+4) points over that span.
Torpedo’s forward Vladislav Firstov is also on a four-game scoring streak, with 5 (3+2) points.
Injury list
Torpedo: Maxim Letunov.
Milestone alert
Spartak’s goalie Artyom Zagidulin may reach 50 wins in the KHL.
Spartak’s goalie Dmitry Nikolayev may record his 10th shutout in the league.
Torpedo’s defenseman Mikhail Naumenkov lines up for his 700th KHL game.
Torpedo’s forward Alexei Kruchinin may net his 100th league tally (currently at 99).
17:00: Ak Bars (1-1-1) vs Metallurg (1-0-2)
About the game
Ak Bars enters the second game of a five-match home series following a loss to Avtomobilist on Wednesday (3:6).
Metallurg, who defeated Ak Bars earlier this season (4:3 SO), stars a two-game road trip and lost its previous couple of matches.
Ak Bars’ defenseman Mitchell Miller is on a nine-game scoring streak, with 12 (6+6) points over that span.
Milestone alert
Ak Bars’ forward Dmitrij Jaskin may score his 300th league point (currently at 299).
17:00: SKA (1-1-1) vs Lada (1-1-0)
About the game
SKA is in the middle of a three-game home series and defeated Traktor on Thursday (5:2).
Lada ends a two-game road trip following a loss to Torpedo on Friday (3:4).
Injury list
SKA: Andrei Pedan, Nikita Zaitsev, Ivan Zinchenko.
Lada: Nikita Mikhailov, Alexei Ozhgikhin.
Milestone alert
SKA’s forward Sergei Plotnikov may reach 550 points in the KHL (currently at 548).
SKA’s defenseman Trevor Murphy may record his 200th KHL point (currently at 198).
17:00: HC Sochi (2-1-0) vs Traktor (1-1-2)
About the game
HC Sochi is in the middle of a three-game home series and won its previous couple of matches.
Traktor enters the fifth game of a six-match road trip and lost to SKA on Thursday (2:5).
HC Sochi’s goalie Pavel Khomchenko is on an 84:55 shutout streak.
Traktor’s forward Pierrick Dube is on a four-game scoring streak, with 5 (3+2) points over that span.
Injury list
HC Sochi: Jean-Christophe Beaudin, Amir Garayev.
