Light KHL Tuesday with three games on tap
Three games are scheduled on a light Tuesday, with one game in the East between Neftekhimik an Avangard, while in the Western Conference, Spartak faces Ak Bars and HC Sochi clashes with Lada.
In the lone Eastern game of the day, Neftekhimik hosts Avangard. Their first matchup happened on Nov. 1 in Omsk, where Avangard came out on top (2:1). The teams approach the new matchup with completely opposite dynamics. Neftekhimik are coming off four straight losses — to Lada (1:2), Avtomobilist (3:6), Ak Bars (2:3), and Salavat Yulaev (1:3). With 31 points, the Wolves remain among the top six teams in the Eastern Conference. Avangard, on the contrary, are riding a four-game winning streak, having defeated Traktor (3:2), Torpedo (6:2), Lada (3:0), and Barys (5:2). With 39 points, Guy Boucher’s team sits third in the conference. For Avangard’s head coach Guy Boucher, the next victory would be his 50th in the KHL. It will be interesting to see whether he can achieve that milestone today in Nizhnekamsk.
19:00: Neftekhimik (15-15-1, 6th E) vs Avangard (18-7-3, 3rd E)
About the game
Neftekhimik enters the third game of an eight-match home series and lost its previous four matches.
Avangard, who defeated Neftekhimik earlier in the season (2:1), enters the fourth game of a five-match road trip on a four-game winning streak.
Avangard’s defenseman Damir Sharipzyanov had an assist in each of his previous four matches.
Avangard’s forward Michael McLeod is also on a four-game scoring streak, with 7 (2+5) points over that stretch.
Avangard’s forward Dmitry Rashevsky is on a three-game scoring streak, with 6 (3+3) points.
Avangard’s forward Mikhail Kotlyarevsky is also on a three-game scoring streak, but with 4 (3+1) points.
Injury list
Neftekhimik: Raul Yakupov.
Milestone alert
Avangard’s goalie Nikita Serebryakov may record his 20th KHL shutout.
Avangard’s head coach Guy Boucher may celebrate his 50th league win.
The action then moves to the Western Conference. In Moscow, Spartak faces Ak Bars. Two consecutive losses — to Torpedo (3:4) and Dinamo Minsk (0:6) — triggered changes within the Red-and-Whites’ coaching staff. Alexei Kovalev and Igor Kravchuk left their positions, while Oleg Kvasha was promoted from the club’s youth system. With 31 points, the home team currently sits in the Western Conference playoff zone. Ak Bars, meanwhile, are coming off two straight wins — against Neftekhimik (3:2) and the Shanghai Dragons (3:2 SO). Against the Chinese Franchise, Anvar Gatiyatulin’s players managed to come back from a two-goal deficit. Kazan’s side has 40 points, which keeps them in second place in the Eastern Conference.
19:30: Spartak (14-12-3, 7th W) vs Ak Bars (19-9-2, 2nd E)
About the game
Spartak starts a three-game home series on a two-match losing streak.
Ak Bars ends a three-game road trip after two consecutive wins.
Injury list
Spartak: German Rubtsov, Ivan Vorobyov.
Ak Bars: Albert Yarullin.
Milestone alert
Ak Bars’ forward Alexander Chmelevsky may net his 100th KHL tally (currently at 99).
Closing a light matchday is HC Sochi facing Lada. Earlier this season, the opponents played three games against each other, two of which were won by Sochi (5:4 SO, 4:0, 1:3). Over the past week, Pavel Desyatkov’s team has been unable to solve its offensive issues — they failed to score in matchups against Avangard (0:3) and Severstal (0:2). The home team, which saw veteran forward Dmitry Kagarlitsky make his debut, lost on home ice to Sibir (1:2) three days earlier, despite leading at one point during the game. Both opponents are at the bottom of the Western Conference standings. Lada, who is yet to achieve a win in Sochi, sits in the penultimate spot, but their advantage over the southerners is only two points.
19:30: HC Sochi (7-15-5, 11th W) vs Lada (9-17-3, 10th W)
About the game
HC Sochi ends a five-game home series following a loss to Sibir on Saturday (1:2).
Lada enters the second game of a four-match road trip after two straight losses.
The season series between the two teams is 2-1 (5:4 SO, 4:0, 1:3).
Injury list
HC Sochi: Matvei Guskov, Noel Hoefenmayer, Ilya Samsonov, Ilya Sushko.
Lada: Alexei Ozhgikhin.
Milestone alert
HC Sochi’s goalie Pavel Khomchenko may record his 10th KHL shutout.
