Metallurg faces Traktor; SKA hosts Lokomotiv
In a quiet KHL Tuesday, two matchups promise emotions and a high level of play. In the Eastern Conference, table-topping Metallurg hosts Traktor, who will be seeking for new forces after trade deadline moves. In the West, SKA clashes with Gagarin Cup champs Lokomotiv trying to turn the tide after four straight losses to climb up in the conference’s standings.
The first game today is a showdown between Metallurg and Traktor. The legendary Southern Urals will continue in Magnitogorsk. It will already be the rivals’ fourth meeting of the 2025+2026 season. So far, Metallurg have dominated the series with a 3–0 lead, although the final game of 2025 was extremely tight, with the Magnitogorsk side edging their opponents 5:4 in extra time. It is also worth noting the high-scoring nature of this matchup, as the teams have not combined for fewer than seven goals in any Metallurg–Traktor game this season. Both teams enter the rivalry match following a win, with Magnitka collecting a win over Amur (4:2) and Traktor defeating Admiral (3:1) – both on Saturday. Metallurg continues to lead the league’s standings at 78 points, while Traktor is in seventh place with 50. The Magnitogorsk franchise, who has already booked a ticket for the postseason following yesterday’s Amur loss in Yekaterinburg, was silent on the market, while the Black-and-Whites acquired goalie Dmitry Nikolayev off Spartak and signed Michal Cajkovsky after the defenseman dissolved his contract in Switzerland.
17:00: Metallurg (37-7-4, 1st E) vs Traktor (22-20-6, 7th E)
About the game
Metallurg enters the third game of a four-match home series following a win over Amur on Saturday (4:2).
Traktor starts a three-game road trip fresh off a win over Admiral also on Saturday (3:1).
The season series between the two sides is 3-0 (4:3, 7:4, 5:4 ОТ).
Injury list
Metallurg: Alexander Siryatsky.
Milestone alert
Metallurg’s forward Daniil Vovchenko may reach 300 KHL points (currently at 299).
Metallurg’s forward Alexander Petunin may score his 100th career goal (currently at 99).
The action then moves to St. Petersburg for the second and last match of the day, where Lokomotiv faces SKA. The hosts are in a four-game losing streak, with defeats in games against Torpedo (0:6), Spartak (1:2), Dinamo Minsk (3:4), and HC Sochi (1:2). The setback pushed the team down to eighth place in the Western Conference’s standings. Igor Larionov’s men have a significant cushion over ninth-placed Shanghai Dragons, yet they are not where they wanted to be before the season. In Sunday’s trade deadline, SKA sent Andrei Loktionov to Sibir in exchange for forward Scott Wilson. The Railwaymen are instead on a two-match winning streak after defeating Dinamo Minsk (2:1) and Spartak (3:2 OT). With 67 points, Lokomotiv sits atop the West’s table.
19:30: SKA (24-18-5, 8th W) vs Lokomotiv (31-14-5, 1st W)
About the game
SKA plays the lone home game of the series following four straight losses.
Lokomotiv ends a two-game road trip on a two-match winning streak.
The season series between the two sides is 1-3 (2:4, 1:3, 2:3, 4:3 ОТ).
Lokomotiv’s forward Artur Kayumov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (3+1) points over that stretch.
Injury list
SKA: Igor Larionov, Trevor Murphy, Vladislav Romanov.
Lokomotiv: Stepan Nikulin.
Milestone alert
SKA’s goalie Sergei Ivanov may reach 100 league appearances.
Lokomotiv’s goalie Alexei Melnichuk may record his 10th league shutout.
