Barys faces Lada; HC Sochi hosts Lokomotiv

Two games are on tap today, one in each conference, starting with Barys hosting Lada and following with league-leading Lokomotiv paying a visit to HC Sochi in the third meeting between the teams this season.

In the first game of the day, Barys faces Lada as the two sides meet for the second time this season. Back in January, Lada shut out the Kazakhs at home with two late goals. However, the Togliatti Motormen lost their last match, suffering an extra time defeat in Novosibirsk. Barys also lost its most recent game: after a win in Vladivostok on Feb. 04, SKA handed the Kazakhs a heavy defeat at home on Thursday (0:5). Both teams sit tenth in their respective conferences, but the game still carries significance: if Lada loses to Barys in regulation today, the team will be eliminated from playoff contention.

15:00: Barys (17-31-8, 10^th E) vs Lada (16-33-7, 10^th W)
About the game

Barys enters the second game of a five-match home series following a loss to SKA on Thursday (0:5).

Lada, who defeated Barys earlier in the season (2:0), ends a two-game road trip after a loss to Sibir also on Thursday (2:3 OT).

Lada’s forward Dmitry Kugryshev is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (3+1) points over that span.

Milestone alert

Lada’s forward Andrei Obidin may reach 100 career points (currently at 99).

In the other match of the day, the action moves to the West, with HC Sochi hosting Lokomotiv. The Railwaymen, who are still the lone team in the conference to have booked a playoff spot so far, just suffered a loss in a direct confrontation against Dinamo Minsk. Lokomotiv remains at the top of the Western Conference’s standings at 77 points, four more than its Belarusian rivals. Earlier, the Gagarin Cup champs had seven straight wins. Today’s hosts, HC Sochi, bounced back on Thursday with a road win in Nizhnekamsk after a record-breaking loss to Sibir on Tuesday. The Black Sea franchise is tied with Lada at 39 points at the bottom of the Western Conference’s standings.

17:30: HC Sochi (16-30-7, 10^th W) vs Lokomotiv (36-15-5, 1^st W)
About the game

HC Sochi plays the lone home game of the series following a win over Neftekhimik (5:3).

Lokomotiv ends a three-game road trip following a loss to Dinamo Minsk on Thursday (2:4).

The season series between the two teams is 0-2 (0:5, 0:3).

Lokomotiv’s forward Alexander Radulov is on a five-game scoring streak, with 7 (1+6) points over that stretch.

Lokomotiv’s forward Yegor Surin is on a five-game scoring streak, with 6 (1+5) points.

Lokomotiv’s forward Maxim Shalunov tallied a goal in each of his previous four matches.

Injury list

HC Sochi: Denis Vengryzhanovsky.

Milestone alert

HC Sochi’s goalie Ilya Samsonov may line up for his 100^th KHL match.

Lokomotiv’s forward Alexander Radulov may score his 800^th KHL point (currently at 797).

Lokomotiv’s forward Pavel Kraskovsky may reach 200 career points (currently at 198).

Lokomotiv’s goalie Alexei Melnichuk may record his 10^th league shutout.

Lokomotiv’s head coach Bob Hartley reaches 350 KHL games.