Hot Neftekhimik hosts Lada, Dynamo Moscow faces Traktor
The new KHL matchday brings two games: Neftekhimik hosts Lada aiming for a fifth straight win, while Lada hopes to end its nine-game losing streak despite recent roster changes. Later, Dynamo Moscow faces Traktor, revisiting last year’s playoff rivalry. Only two games are on tap on a light KHL Thursday.
The match day starts with Neftekhimik taking on Lada. The Wolves won their last four matches climbing up to third place in the East, and will try to stretch their winning streak today facing a struggling Togliatti side. Lada lost its last nine games, and despite some roster shuffling and a new head coach, it didn’t accomplish a revert in trends. And it won’t be easy to achieve so against a hot team like Neftekhimik. After today’s clash, Lada will fly back to Togliatti, where the team will play their next three games.
19:00: Neftekhimik (7-3-0, 3rd E) vs Lada (1-8-1, 11th W)
About the game
Neftekhimik starts a five-game home series on a four-match winning streak.
Lada ends a three-game road trip and lost its previous nine matches.
Neftekhimik’s forward Danil Yurtaikin is on a seven-game scoring streak, with 12 (4+8) points over that span.
Neftekhimik’s forward Andrei Belozyorov is on a four-game scoring streak, with 6 (2+4) points.
Injury list
Neftekhimik: Alexander Dergachyov, Nikita Khoruzhev, Nikita Popugayev, Maxim Sushko.
Milestone alert
Lada’s defenseman Vladislav Syomin lines up for his 200th league appearance.
For the second game of the night, the action moves to the Western Conference, with a classical cross-conference matchup between Dynamo Moscow and Traktor, who plays its second straight game in the Russian capital. The two sides meet for the first time this season after last year’s playoffs series, when Traktor celebrated a 4-1 win in the semifinals stage. The teams enter today’s game in different situations. The Chelyabinsk side is the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, while Dynamo Moscow is in a disappointing tenth place in the West. Both sides will try to improve their records and gain precious points for the standings.
19:30: Dynamo Moscow (4-4-1, 10th W) vs Traktor (5-3-2, 5th E)
About the game
Dynamo Moscow ends a three-game home series following a loss to Neftekhimik on Monday (2:3).
Traktor enters the second game of a four-match road trip after losing to Spartak on Tuesday (3:6).
Dynamo Moscow’s forward Nikita Gusev is on a seven-game scoring streak, with 8 (2+6) points over that span.
Dynamo Moscow’s defenseman Artyom Sergeyev is on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (1+2) points.
Traktor’s forward Joshua Leivo is on a four-game scoring streak, with 6 (3+3) points over that stretch.
Traktor’s defenseman Grigory Dronov is also on a four-game scoring streak, with 6 (2+4) points.
Injury list
Dynamo Moscow: Maxim Mamin, Artyom Mikheyev.
Milestone alert
Traktor’s forward Andrei Svetlakov may record his 250th KHL point (currently at 249).
