The KHL returns with four high-stakes games
The new year opens with a packed matchday headlined by the Far East Derby, where Admiral and Amur look to break a 2–2 deadlock amid coaching changes and contrasting form. Three Western Conference clashes follow, with Severstal defending its top-three spot against Lada, Neftekhimik chasing a third straight win in Sochi, and league-leading Metallurg visiting the Shanghai Dragons, who face mounting pressure in the playoff race.
The new year opens with yet another edition of the Far East Derby. The teams have two wins apiece in the earlier season, so they will be looking for a win to go ahead in the series. But not only. Admiral lost four games in a row and will enter the new year with a new head coach, Oleg Bratash. The 59-years-old coach spent one season and a half with Lada, and was most recently with Buran Voronezh of the VHL. After the setback, the Sailors sit at the very bottom of the Eastern Conference’s table, with 31 points, five points behind Sibir and Barys. The Tigers are higher in the standings, in seventh place, and most recently lost to Sibir, on Dec. 30.
10:00: Admiral (12-19-7, 11th E) vs Amur (16-18-7, 7th E)
About the game
Admiral ends a three-game home series on a four-match losing streak.
Amur starts a three-game road trip following a loss to Sibir on Dec. 30 (2:3 OT).
The season series between the two sides is 2-2 (2:3, 5:2, 4:1, 1:3).
Admiral’s forward Nikita Soshnikov is on a four-game scoring streak, with 5 (2+3) points over that stretch.
Injury list
Admiral: Alexander Daryin, Adam Huska, Maxim Maltsev.
Amur: Roman Abrosimov, Alex Galchenyuk, Kirill Petkov.
Milestone alert
Amur’s forward Oleg Li may reach 200 KHL points (currently at 199).
Three games will then follow in the Western Conference. In Cherepovets, Severstal hosts Lada. Despite suffering back-to-back losses on the eve of the New Year, the Cherepovets side extended its points streak to four games, earning points beyond regulation and extra time against Salavat Yulaev (1:2 SO) and Ak Bars (3:4 SO). With 55 points, the Steelers sit third in the Western Conference, two points behind conference leaders Dinamo Minsk, having played two more games. Lada closed out 2025 on a four-game losing streak, most recently falling to Avtomobilist (3:4). The Togliatti club is two points adrift of Western Conference second-from-bottom side HC Sochi. On the eve of the game, former KHL and NHL defenseman Alexei Emelin joined the team’s coaching staff, where he will be in charge of the defensemen.
17:00: Severstal (26-12-3, 3rd W) vs Lada (11-25-4, 11th W)
About the game
Severstal kicks off a six-game home series on a two-match losing streak.
Lada enters the third game of a six-match road trip following four straight defeats.
The season series between the two sides is 2-0 (2:0, 3:2).
Severstal’s forward Adam Liska is on a four-game scoring streak, with 6 (4+2) points over that stretch.
Severstal’s forward Ruslan Abrosimov is on a three-game scoring streak instead, with 3 (1+2) points.
Injury list
Severstal: Makar Fomin.
Then, in Sochi, Neftekhimik will seek its third straight win. The Wolves closed out 2025 with back-to-back wins over the Shanghai Dragons (4:3 OT) and Torpedo (5:0), extending their points streak to four games. Igor Grishin’s team has 43 points and sits fifth in the Eastern Conference. Sochi also finished the previous calendar year in good fashion: scoring eight goals against SKA (8:4) was one of December’s biggest surprises. Dmitry Mikhailov’s team is second from bottom in the Western Conference, two points clear of Lada.
17:00: HC Sochi (11-20-6, 10th W) vs Neftekhimik (20-18-3, 5th E)
About the game
HC Sochi enters the second game of a five-match home series following a win over SKA on Dec. 28 (8:4).
Neftekhimik starts a two-game home series on a two-match winning streak.
HC Sochi’s defenseman Noel Hoefenmayer is on a four-game scoring streak, with 6 (1+5) points over that stretch.
Neftekhimik’s goalie Filipp Dolganov is on a 68:36 shutout streak.
Neftekhimik’s forward Andrei Belozyorov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 5 (4+1) points.
Neftekhimik’s forward Evgeny Mityakin had at least an assist in each of his previous three matches, totaling four helpers.
Neftekhimik’s forward Damir Zhafyarov also dished out at least an assist in each of his previous three games, but with five helpers.
Injury list
HC Sochi: Danil Bashkirov, Dmitry Kagarlitsky, Daniil Seroukh.
Neftekhimik: Raul Yakupov.
Milestone alert
HC Sochi’s goalie Pavel Khomchenko may reach 10 league shutouts.
In the last game of the matchday, the Shanghai Dragons host Metallurg. The teams’ first meeting this season took place on Nov. 3 in Magnitogorsk, where Metallurg claimed a convincing 6:1 victory. The Steelers wrapped up 2025 with a successful Ural derby against Traktor. Metallurg’s position in the Eastern Conference remains unshaken: Andrei Razin’s team sits top of the standings, six points clear of nearest challengers Ak Bars, while also holding two games in hand. On Dec. 30, the Shanghai Dragons lost to SKA (2:3), significantly complicating their push to return to the Western Conference playoff zone. They now trail eighth-placed Spartak by six points. Gerard Gallant’s team, whose head coach missed the game against SKA due to health reasons, has played one fewer game than the Red-and-Whites. But can the Dragons stabilize their results at the most crucial stage of the regular season?
17:00: Shanghai Dragons (15-15-9, 9th W) vs Metallurg (29-6-4, 1st E)
About the game
The Shanghai Dragons enter the sixth game of an eight-match home series on a two-game losing streak.
Metallurg, who defeated the Shanghai Dragons earlier in the season (6:1), plays the lone road game of the series following a win over Traktor on Dec. 29 (5:4 OT).
Shanghai Dragons’ Nikita Popugayev is on a four-game scoring streak, with 4 (2+2) points over that stretch.
Metallurg’s forwards Yegor Korobkin and Nikita Korobkov are on an identical three-game scoring streak, with 5 (2+3) points.
Injury list
Shanghai Dragons: Parker Foo, Jeremy Groleau, Ben Harpur.
Metallurg: Alexander Siryatsky.
Milestone alert
Shanghai Dragons’ forward Kirill Rasskazov may dish out his 100th career assist (currently at 99).
Metallurg’s forward Dmitry Silantyev may reach 100 KHL points (currently at 99).
