Western Conference showdowns set the stage for high-stakes KHL action
The KHL’s Western Conference heats up with four key matchups, starting in Togliatti as struggling Lada hosts league-leading Metallurg, followed by Dinamo Minsk against SKA, Shanghai Dragons visiting Avangard in St. Petersburg, and CSKA facing HC Sochi in Moscow - teams are now fighting for playoff positioning ahead of the All-Star break.
The all-Western match day starts in Togliatti, with Lada taking on Metallurg. The Togliatti side lost its previous three games, to Dynamo Moscow (1:3), Spartak (2:6), and Lokomotiv (1:3). Lada is at the bottom of the conference’s standings, with 36 points – one less than HC Sochi, but with three games more. Metallurg is in opposite direction. The league’s leaders enjoy a ten-point cushion over second-placed Avangard (82 vs 72 points) and celebrated three straight wins, against Amur (4:2), Traktor (3:2), and Dinamo Minsk (5:4). It will be the second meeting between the teams this season, with Magnitka claiming an early victory in November.
18:00: Lada (15-31-6, 11th W) vs Metallurg (39-7-4, 1st E)
About the game
Lada starts a three-game home series on a three-match losing streak.
Metallurg, who defeated Lada earlier in the season (6:4), plays the lone road game of the series after three consecutive wins.
Metallurg’s forward Vladimir Tkachyov is on a four-game scoring streak, with 5 (1+4) points over that stretch.
Metallurg’s forward Sergei Tolchinsky is on a three-game scoring streak instead, with 4 (1+3) points.
Metallurg’s forward Alexander Petunin had an assist in each of his previous three matches.
Milestone alert
Lada’s forward Andrei Obidin may reach 100 KHL points (currently at 99).
Metallurg’s forward Alexander Petunin may score his 100th career goal (currently at 99).
The action then moves to Belarus, with Dinamo Minsk facing SKA. Both sides aren’t in their best moment and will be looking for a rebound today. The hosts are now on a three-game losing streak following trade deadline turbulences, with losses in games against Salavat Yulaev (1:2 OT), Sibir (1:4), and Metallurg (4:5), and lost ground from the Western Conference’s leaders. The Belarusians are now the fourth seed in the West after yesterday’s Torpedo win in Vladivostok. SKA has just established a negative record with seven consecutive losses, and the team is now in eighth position in the Western’s table, with a seven-point cushion over the Shanghai Dragons.
19:10: Dinamo Minsk (30-15-6, 4th W) vs SKA (24-20-6, 8th W)
About the game
Dinamo Minsk plays the lone home game of the series on a three-game losing streak.
SKA enters the third game of a six-match road trip on a seven-game losing streak.
The season series between the two sides is 1-2 (2:3 ОТ, 1:4, 4:3).
Dinamo Minsk’s forward Vadim Shipachyov had at least an assist in each of his previous three matches, totaling four helpers.
Injury list
Dinamo Minsk: Joshua Brook, Xavier Ouellet.
SKA: Igor Larionov, Trevor Murphy, Vladislav Romanov.
Milestone alert
Dinamo Minsk’s goalie Vasily Demchenko may reach 30 KHL shutouts.
Then, in St. Petersburg, for the first time in the current regular season, the Shanghai Dragons will face Avangard. The hosts come into the upcoming game after a three-game series against HC Sochi, which helped them cut the gap to the playoff zone to seven points. At the same time, eighth-placed SKA have one game in hand compared to the Chinese franchise. Avangard head to Saint Petersburg from Moscow, where they confidently defeated Dynamo Moscow (4:1), extending their winning streak to seven games. With 73 points, the Hawks have temporarily climbed into second place in the Eastern Conference. Will they be able to hold on to that position until the end of the regular season? After todays’ game, the Hawks will fly back to Omsk, where the team will face Avtomobilist in its last game before the All-Star break.
19:30: Shanghai Dragons (19-23-9, 9th W) vs Avangard (35-12-3, 2nd E)
About the game
The Shanghai Dragons enters the third game of a seven-match home series following a win over HC Sochi on Friday (5:2).
Avangard ends a two-game road trip on a seven-match winning streak.
Shanghai Dragons’ forward Riley Sutter dished out an assist in each of his previous three matches.
Avangard’s defenseman Damir Sharipzyanov is on an eleven-game scoring streak, with 18 (9+9) points over that stretch.
Avangard’s forward Andrew Poturalski is on a seven-game scoring streak, with 10 (2+8) points.
Avangard’s forward Michael McLeod is on a four-game scoring streak, with 7 (4+3) points.
Injury list
Shanghai Dragons: Jeremy Groleau, Ben Harpur, Patrik Rybar.
Avangard: Alexander Volkov.
Milestone alert
Shanghai Dragons’ forward Kirill Rasskazov may reach 100 career assists (currently at 99).
Closing out an exciting match day is a showdown in Moscow between CSKA and HC Sochi. The first meeting between the two sides this season took place on Sept. 12 and ended in a shutout home win for HC Sochi (2:0). Heading into the upcoming game, CSKA are riding a four-game winning streak, having beaten Barys (1:0), Severstal (4:2), Dynamo Moscow (4:2), and SKA (3:2 SO). Igor Nikitin’s team have not lost since Jan. 17 and, with 62 points, have climbed to fifth place in the Western Conference. Sochi sits second from bottom, narrowly ahead of Lada while holding two games in hand. The Leopards travel to the Russian capital after defeats to the Shanghai Dragons (2:5) and Lokomotiv (0:3). Will Dmitry Mikhailov’s men be able to snap their goalless streak and spring a surprise against the Moscow giants?
19:30: CSKA (27-17-8, 5th W) vs HC Sochi (15-28-7, 10th W)
About the game
CSKA ends a two-game home series on a four-match winning streak.
HC Sochi, who defeated CSKA earlier in the season (2:0), enters the fourth match of a six-game road trip following two consecutive defeats.
CSKA’s forward Denis Guryanov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (2+1) points over that stretch.
Injury list
CSKA: Dmitry Buchelnikov, Danila Moiseyev, Vladislav Provolnev.
HC Sochi: Anton Malyshev, Ilya Samsonov, Denis Vengryzhanovsky.
Milestone alert
HC Sochi’s goalie Pavel Khomchenko may celebrate his 50th KHL win.
