Points on the line across the league as playoff races tighten up
The KHL schedule opens in the Far East with playoff implications front and center, as Amur looks to keep its postseason hopes alive against Barys, while Admiral and Torpedo seek rebounds in Vladivostok. The action continues with Sibir defending its top-eight spot against Ak Bars, Salavat Yulaev chasing Neftekhimik in a tight Eastern race, and Severstal hosting Spartak in a marquee Western Conference clash featuring milestones, streaks, and crucial standings battles.
The second February match day starts in the Far East again, with Amur hosting Barys for a revenge match and Admiral facing Torpedo. It will be a real battle between the Tigers and the Kazakhs, with both sides still having chances and hopes for a postseason qualification, but with the time ticking and the gap from eighth-placed Sibir increasing. Amur enters today’s game on a two-game winning streak, defeating Barys on Saturday (2:1 SO) and Avtomobilist two days before (5:2). The Tigers have a six-point gap from Sibir, but have two games in hand on the Novosibirsk franchise. The loss to Amur on Saturday was Barys’ fifth consecutive defeat, and the Kazakhs are currently in tenth place in the Eastern Conference’s standings, at nine points from Sibir. Today, it’s now or never for Barys.
12:15: Amur (18-26-7, 9th E) vs Barys (16-29-8, 10th E)
About the game
Amur enters the third game of a six-match home series on a two-game winning streak.
Barys is in the middle of a three-game road trip and lost its previous five matches.
The season series between the two teams is 2-2 (3:4 SO, 1:3, 4:1, 2:1 SO).
Amur’s forward Alex Galchenyuk is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (1+3) points.
Injury list
Amur: Roman Abrosimov.
Barys: Mason Morelli.
In Vladivostok, Admiral hosts Torpedo. Both teams will be looking to bounce back after recent defeats. After celebrating a win in Astana, the Sailors lost at home to Avtomobilist on Saturday (1:4), and they failed to climb up in the Eastern Conference’s table, remaining in the last spot. Torpedo has instead three straight losses, with defeats coming in games against Sibir (2:4), Severstal (2:3 OT), and Salavat Yulaev (1:3). The Nizhny Novgorod side is currently the fourth seed in the West, but the team needs points to retain its spot in the conference’s top four. It will be the second meeting between the two sides this season, with Admiral claiming an early extra time win. On Wednesday, the two Far East franchises will swap opponents.
12:30: Admiral (14-28-8, 11th E) vs Torpedo (30-17-5, 4th W)
About the game
Admiral, who defeated Torpedo earlier in the season (2:1 SO), enters the second game of a six-match home series following a loss to Avtomobilist on Saturday (1:4).
Torpedo enters the second game of a five-match road trip on a three-game losing streak.
Admiral’s forward Stepan Starkov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (2+1) points over that stretch.
Injury list
Admiral: Alexander Daryin.
Torpedo: Alexei Kruchinin.
Milestone alert
Torpedo’s forward Dmitry Shevchenko may reach 100 career points (currently at 99).
In Novosibirsk, Sibir tries to bounce back after a loss to Traktor in a home game against Ak Bars. The Novosibirsk side had won the four previous matches, and further cemented its eighth place in the Eastern Conference’s standings. The guests just collected a win in the most recent Tatarstan derby against Neftekhimik, halting the Wolves’ seven-game winning streak. However, following yesterday’s Avangard victory in Moscow against Dynamo, Ak Bars slipped down to third place at 72 points, one less than the Hawks. Earlier in the season, the teams traded wins.
15:30: Sibir (22-26-5, 8th E) vs Ak Bars (34-14-4, 3rd E)
About the game
Sibir enters the third game of a seven-match home series following a loss to Traktor on Saturday (1:3).
Ak Bars starts a two-game road trip fresh off a win over Neftekhimik also on Saturday (6:1).
The season series between the two sides is 1-1 (1:4, 3:2 SO).
Injury list
Sibir: Mikhail Abramov, Ilya Fedotov, Valentin Pyanov, Daniil Valitov.
Ak Bars: Stepan Falkovsky, Mikhail Fisenko, Albert Yarullin.
Milestone alert
Sibir’s defenseman Yegor Zaitsev lines up for his 500th league appearance.
Ak Bars’ goalie Timur Bilyalov may record his 40th career shutout.
In Ufa, Neftekhimik will look to bounce back after its recent loss to Ak Bars. Earlier this season, Salavat Yulaev won three of four games against Neftekhimik. Viktor Kozlov’s men come in on a four-game winning streak, having beaten HC Sochi (2:1), Dinamo Minsk (2:1 OT), Ak Bars (4:3 OT), and Torpedo (3:1). The hosts have not lost since Jan. 20 and currently sit sixth in the Eastern Conference. They trail fifth-placed Neftekhimik by just one point — will the two teams swap positions by the end of the night? Neftekhimik comes into today’s game after a heavy defeat, but they won seven straight games before the loss.
17:00: Salavat Yulaev (26-22-4, 6th E) vs Neftekhimik (27-21-3, 5th E)
About the game
Salavat Yulaev is in the middle of a three-game home series and won its previous four matches.
Neftekhimik is in the middle of a three-game road trip started with a loss to Ak Bars on Saturday (1:6).
The season series between the two teams is 3-1 (2:1, 0:1, 3:1, 2:1).
Salavat Yulaev’s forward Pavel Suchkov had a goal in each of his previous three matches.
Salavat Yulaev’s forward Daniil Alalykin dished out an assist in each of his previous three games.
Injury list
Salavat Yulaev: Gleb Kuzmin, Alexei Vasilevsky.
Milestone alert
Salavat Yulaev’s defenseman Yaroslav Tsulygin lines up for his 200th league appearance.
Salavat Yulaev’s forward Pyotr Khokhryakov may reach 100 league assists (currently at 99).
Neftekhimik’s defenseman Ilya Pastukhov may also reach 200th league appearances.
The action then moves to the West for a final game, with Severstal hosting Spartak. Earlier this season, Severstal won two of three games against Spartak, and the upcoming matchup will mark the 200th KHL game for Cherepovets head coach Andrey Kozyrev. Both teams enter the contest on two-game winning streaks. Severstal picked up road victories over Torpedo (3:2 OT) and Dynamo Moscow (3:2), while Spartak was successful at home against Lada (6:2) and SKA (4:0). The two teams are separated by ten points in the standings. Severstal, at 70 points, sits second in the Western Conference, while the Red-and-Whites are in sixth place.
19:30: Severstal (33-15-4, 2nd W) vs Spartak (27-17-6, 6th W)
About the game
Severstal starts a two-game home series on a two-match winning streak.
Spartak starts a two-game road trip also on a two-match winning streak.
The season series between the two sides is 2-1 (2:1, 4:3, 1:2).
Spartak’s goalie Alexander Georgiyev is on a 60:00 shutout streak.
Spartak’s forward Pavel Poryadin is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (2+2) points over that stretch.
Spartak’s forward Ivan Morozov had at least an assist in each of his previous three matches, totaling four helpers.
Spartak’s newly-signed forward Daniil Gutik is also on a three-game scoring streak, with 5 (3+2) points.
Injury list
Severstal: Alexander Samoilov, Daniil Veryayev, Artyom Zhukov.
Spartak: Nikita Buruyanov.
Milestone alert
Severstal’s head coach Andrei Kozyrev will reach 200 KHL games.
Severstal’s forward David Dumbadze may reach 100 KHL points (currently at 99).
