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Barys hosts Salavat Yulaev, Neftekhimik faces Ak Bars
It’s a light KHL Friday, with just two games on schedule, both in the Eastern Conference. In Astana, Barys welcomes Salavat Yulaev, while Neftekhimik clashes with Ak Bars in another Tatarstan derby.
The match day starts in Kazakhstan, with Barys facing Salavat Yulaev for the second time this season. In early November, Alexander Zharovsky netted the game-winner in the second period as the Ufa franchise snatched a road win. Today, the Kazakhs will be seeking revenge on home ice again. It's more than that, though: with Barys in seventh at 25 points and Salavat in tenth at 23, this game carries major implications for both teams’ positioning. The Astana side is currently in a good streak, celebrating two consecutive road wins for the first time this season (4:0 over Lokomotiv and 2:1 OT in Sochi), while Salavat Yulaev lost to the same opponents (3:4 OT and 1:2, respectively).
17:00: Barys (10-13-5, 7th E) vs Salavat Yulaev (10-14-3, 10th E)
About the game
Barys starts a two-game home series following two straight victories.
Salavat Yulaev, who defeated Barys earlier in the season (2:1), enters the third game of a four-match road trip on a two-game losing streak.
Salavat Yulaev’s forward Jake Rodewald is on a four-game scoring streak, with 4 (2+2) points over that stretch.
Injury list
Barys: Nikita Boyarkin, Kirill Savitsky, Tyler Wotherspoon.
Salavat Yulaev: Daniil Alalykin, Anton Berlyov, Dennis Yan, Nikita Zorkin.
Milestone alert
Salavat Yulaev’s forward Yegor Suchkov lines up for his 200th league appearance.
In Neftekhimik, Nizhnekamsk and Ak Bars will face again in the third Tatarstan derby of the season. Earlier, the teams traded wins, with the Wolves grabbing an early victory. Both teams enter today’s confrontation on a two-game losing streak. Nizhnekamsk struggled on the road, falling to Lada (1:2) and Avtomobilist (3:6). Kazan fared no better at home, suffering defeats to Dinamo Minsk (3:7) and CSKA (1:4). Thus, both sides will be in need of a return to win to gain morale back and recover in the standings. Ak Bars has the upper hand, being in third place with 36 points, while Neftekhimik is two places and five points behind.
19:30: Neftekhimik (15-13-1, 5th E) vs Ak Bars (17-9-2, 3rd E)
About the game
Neftekhimik starts an eight-game home series on a two-match losing streak.
Ak Bars starts a three-game road trip also after losing its last couple of matches.
The teams traded wins earlier in the season (2:1, 1:4).
Ak Bars’ defenseman Kirill Lyamkin is on a five-game scoring streak, with 8 (1+7) points over that span.
Injury list
Neftekhimik: Alexander Dergachyov, Raul Yakupov.
Ak Bars: Albert Yarullin.
Milestone alert
Ak Bars’ forward Alexander Chmelevsky may score his 100th KHL goal (currently at 99).
