SKA against Salavat Yulaev, Spartak hosts Lokomotiv!
A packed schedule sees five games in action: Salavat Yulaev faces SKA and Metallurg meets Lada in East-West clashes, while Spartak welcomes Lokomotiv, Torpedo hosts HC Sochi, and Dinamo Minsk entertains Sibir with the Novosibirsk side trying to halt a ten-match skid.
The matchday starts with two East-West confrontations as Salavat Yulaev faces SKA and Metallurg hosts Lada. In Ufa, the hosts will try to return to win after losing games to Neftekhimik (0:1) and Lada (3:5) – Sheldon Rempal’s debut game this season with an assist wasn’t enough to secure Salavat Yulaev a win over the Togliatti side. With this setback, Salavat Yulaev was pushed off the playoff places, being now the ninth seed in the East. SKA is instead in a good streak, with road wins in Moscow against Dynamo (3:2) and in Omsk (1:0), with Sergei Ivanov completing a 43-save shutout. After today’s game, SKA will travel back to St. Petersburg to face CSKA on Sunday and then depart for a new road trip.
17:00: Salavat Yulaev (9-13-2, 9th E) vs SKA (11-9-4, 9th W)
About the game
Salavat Yulaev ends a two-game home series on a two-match losing streak.
SKA ends a three-game road trip following two consecutive wins.
SKA’s goalie Sergei Ivanov is on a 63:36 shutout streak.
Injury list
Salavat Yulaev: Daniil Alalykin, Anton Berlyov, Oleg Kuzmin, Dennis Yan, Nikita Zorkin.
SKA: Matvei Korotky, Vladislav Romanov, Nikita Zaitsev.
Milestone alert
SKA’s forward Andrei Loktionov may reach 200 KHL assists (currently at 199).
In the meantime, in Magnitogorsk, Metallurg faces Lada. Magnitka proved to be in great shape, with four straight wins and the undisputed lead in the Eastern Conference’s standings. Moreover, last year Metallurg had four straight wins over Lada. The Togliatti side is now on a two-game winning streak, and will return home after today’s match for the next couple of games. Lada remains in the tenth place in the West, with a seven-point gap from the playoff spots.
17:00: Metallurg (19-4-2, 1st E) vs Lada (8-14-3, 10th W)
About the game
Metallurg plays the lone home game of the series on a four-match winning streak.
Lada ends a seven-game road trip on a two-match winning streak.
Metallurg’s forward Vladimir Tkachyov is on a four-game scoring streak, with 6 (1+5) points over that stretch.
Metallurg’s forward Roman Kantserov is also on a four-game scoring streak, with 6 (3+3) points.
Metallurg’s forward Dmitry Silantyev is on a four-game scoring streak, with 4 (3+1) points.
Metallurg’s defenseman Yegor Yakovlev had at least an assist in each of his previous four matches, totaling five helpers.
Lada’s goalie Alexander Trushkov is on a 60:28 shutout streak.
Lada’s forward Riley Sawchuk is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (1+3) points over that span.
Injury list
Metallurg: Andrei Kozlov.
Lada: Alexei Ozhgikhin.
The action then moves to the Western Conference for three matches. In Moscow, Spartak faces Lokomotiv. The Railwaymen will try to bounce back after losing to Torpedo in a battle of Western leaders on Monday (1:2). It will be the second meeting between the two teams after Lokomotiv claimed a 5:2 win on home ice on Thursday. Spartak has now three wins in the last five matches as the Red-and-Whites defeated Sibir after their setback against Lokomotiv (6:3), and are currently the sixth seed in the Western Conference, while Lokomotiv leads the table tied with Torpedo. After today’s game, the Railwaymen will return to Yaroslavl, where the team will play the next four matches.
19:30: Spartak (13-8-3, 6th W) vs Lokomotiv (17-6-2, 1st W)
About the game
Spartak is in the middle of a three-game home series and defeated Sibir on Monday (6:3).
Lokomotiv, who defeated Spartak earlier in the season (5:2), ends a two-game road trip following a loss to Torpedo also on Monday (1:2).
Injury list
Spartak: Nikita Buruyanov, Pavel Poryadin, German Rubtsov, Ivan Vorobyov.
Lokomotiv: Richard Panik, Andrei Sergeyev, Daniil Tesanov, Alexander Volkov.
Milestone alert
Lokomotiv’s goalie Alexei Melnichuk may reach 10 KHL shutouts.
In Nizhny Novgorod, Torpedo will try to stretch its impressive winning streak in a home game against HC Sochi. The team won its previous six matches and is tied with Lokomotiv for the Western Conference’s lead. It will be the team’s third encounter this season, with Torpedo claiming the first two matches. The Black Sea franchise lost its previous three matches, and is currently at the foot of the West’s table. After today’s game, the team will return home, where it will play the next five matches,
19:30: Torpedo (17-8-2, 2nd W) vs HC Sochi (5-13-4, 11th W)
About the game
Torpedo enters the second game of a six-match home series and won its previous six games.
HC Sochi ends a two-game road trip on a three-match losing streak.
The season series between the two teams is 2-0 (3:0, 3:1).
Torpedo’s forward Sergei Goncharuk is on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (2+1) points over that stretch.
Torpedo’s forward Alexei Kruchinin, who today lines up for his 600th league appearance, had an assist in each of his previous three games.
Injury list
Torpedo: Mikhail Naumenkov, Nikita Rozhkov.
HC Sochi: Matvei Guskov, Pavel Khomchenko, Vasily Machulin.
In the last game of the matchday, Dinamo Minsk hosts Sibir. The Novosibirsk side haven’t found a solution to get out of crisis, and has now ten straight defeats. Despite this long streak, defenseman Yegor Alanov scored points in seven consecutive games. Sibir is currently the last seed in the Eastern Conference. Different from Sibir, the Belarusians won seven of their last eight matches, only falling to Lada on Saturday (0:1). The Bison hold currently the third spot in the Western Conference’s standings, having surpassed Severstal. After the game, the team will depart for a short road trip with clashes in Kazan and Cherepovets.
19:30: Dinamo Minsk (15-6-3, 3rd W) vs Sibir (7-14-3, 11th W)
About the game
Dinamo Minsk ends an eight-game home series and defeated HC Sochi on Monday (5:2).
Sibir ends a three-game road trip on a ten-match losing streak.
Sibir’s defenseman Yegor Alanov is on a seven-game scoring streak, with 7 (3+4) points over that span.
Injury list
Dinamo Minsk: Xavier Ouellet.
Sibir: Fyodor Gordeyev, Roman Kalinichenko, Chase Priskie, Valentin Pyanov, Sergei Shirokov.
Milestone alert
Dinamo Minsk’s goalie Vasily Demchenko may line up for his 400th league appearance and record his 30th KHL shutout.
