Six games across the league on an exciting matchday
A six-game slate headlines a busy KHL matchday, opening in Omsk with Avangard hosting Traktor, before Urals rivals Avtomobilist and Metallurg clash. In the West, Severstal faces Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk, Torpedo welcomes Dynamo Moscow, Spartak meets Dinamo Minsk, and the night closes with the Shangai Dragons facing CSKA. Today’s games may hand some playoffs verdicts.
The matchday starts in Omsk, with an exciting showdown between Avangard and Traktor. It will be the sixth and last game between the sides this season, with the Hawks securely holding the lead in the series 4-1. However, both sides enter today’s match in good form. Avangard collected two wins in the Far East over Admiral (3:2 SO) and Amur (6:2) and has an impressive thirteen win in the last fifteen matches. The Hawks are currently flying in second place in the Eastern Conference at 80 points, seven below Metallurg. Traktor is not as high in the standings, currently in seventh place in the East, yet won its last four consecutive matches, over Sibir (3:1), Ak Bars (4:0), Amur (5:6), and Admiral (3:2). The last team to defeat the Black-and-Whites was Avangard, on Jan. 29 (1:0).
14:00: Avangard (38-12-4, 2nd E) vs Traktor (26-22-6, 7th E)
About the game
Avangard starts a four-game home series on a two-match winning streak.
Traktor wraps up a three-game road trip and won its previous four matches.
The season series between the teams is 4-1 (1:5, 8:5, 3:2, 5:2, 1:0).
Avangard’s forward Andrew Poturalski is on an eleven-game scoring streak, with 17 (5+12) points over that stretch.
Injury list
Avangard: Alexander Volkov.
Milestone alert
Avangard’s forward Nikolai Prokhorkin may reach 400 KHL points (currently at 398).
Traktor’s forward Andrei Nikonov may line up for his 200th league appearance.
In Yekaterinburg, another hot game is on tap with Avtomobilist facing Metallurg. It will be the fourth clash between the two Urals sides in the season, with Magnitka currently sweeping the series. Both teams will be eager to rebound, especially Avtomobilist, who lost to the Steelers only five days ago (1:4). Metallurg keeps on leading the league’s standings at 87 points, but lost its last game, to Salavat Yulaev on extra time. After the clash with Metallurg, the Motormen also lost to Dynamo Moscow (1:2), but retained their spot in the Eastern top four, with a four-point cushion over the Ufa team.
14:30: Avtomobilist (30-20-4, 4th E) vs Metallurg (41-7-5, 1st E)
About the game
Avtomobilist enters the second game of a seven-match home series following two straight defeats.
Metallurg is in the middle of a three-game road trip and lost to Salavat Yulaev on Friday.
The season series between the two teams is 0-3 (4:5, 5:6, 1:4).
Metallurg’s forward Alexander Petunin is on a six-game scoring streak, with 7 (1+6) points over that stretch.
Metallurg’s forward Roman Kantserov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (2+1) points.
Injury list
Avtomobilist: Dmitry Yudin.
Milestone alert
Avtomobilist’s forward Alexander Sharov lines up for his 600th league appearance.
The action then shifts to the Western Conference, starting with Severstal hosting Neftekhimik. After three consecutive losses, to Spartak (1:5), SKA (1:3), and Dinamo Minsk (4:7), the Lynx returned to victory three days ago in a game in St. Petersburg against the Shanghai Dragons. After the setback, Severstal slipped down to third place in the league’s table, seven points below Lokomotiv and just one point from Dinamo Minsk. Today’s opposition, Neftekhimik, has lost the last couple of matches, to SKA (1:5) and HC Sochi (3:5), respectively. The Wolves are now the sixth seed in the East at 59 points, at one point from Salavat Yulaev and with one point more than Traktor. The fans can expect an exciting game between two offensive teams who will want to win, and the Lynx may book a ticket to the playoffs if they win today or they gain the same amount of points as the Shanghai Dragons today.
17:00: Severstal (34-18-4, 3rd E) vs Neftekhimik (28-24-4, 6th E)
About the game
Severstal, who defeated Neftekhimik earlier in the season (5:0), plays the lone home game of the series following a win over the Shanghai Dragons on Tuesday (3:2).
Neftekhimik starts a two-game road trip on a two-match losing streak.
Severstal’s forward Daniil Aimurzin is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (2+2) points over that stretch.
Severstal’s defenseman Ioannis Kaldis had an assist in each of his previous three matches.
Injury list
Severstal: Nikolai Chebykin, Daniil Veryayev.
Neftekhimik: Vladislav Barulin.
In Nizhny Novgorod, Torpedo welcomes Dynamo Moscow. It will be the fourth meeting between the two sides in the current campaign, with the Muscovites now up in the series. The Blue-and-Whites won their last couple of matches, over Spartak (3:2) and Avtomobilist (2:1), and are currently the sixth seed in the West. Vyacheslav Kozlov’s men are now four points behind CSKA and have a two-point cushion over the Spartak-SKA duo. Torpedo will be looking for a rebound after losing to Lada (1:3) and Ak Bars (3:4 OT) – the Nizhny Novgorod side slipped down to fourth place with a two-point gap to Severstal. After today’s game, Dynamo will fly back to Moscow for a home game against HC Sochi.
17:00: Torpedo (32-18-6, 4th W) vs Dynamo Moscow (30-21-4, 6th W)
About the game
Torpedo starts a four-game home series on a two-match losing streak.
Dynamo Moscow wraps up a three-game road trip on a two-match winning streak.
The season series between the two sides is 1-2 (1:4, 0:4, 4:3 OT).
Dynamo Moscow’s forward Jordan Weal is on a three-game scoring streak, with 5 (1+4) points over that stretch.
Injury list
Torpedo: Nikita Rozhkov.
Dynamo Moscow: Kirill Gotovets, Artyom Mikheyev.
Milestone alert
Torpedo’s forward Dmitry Shevchenko may reach 100 KHL points (currently at 99).
Dynamo Moscow’s defenseman Artyom Sergeyev may score his 100th league assist (currently at 99).
In Moscow, Spartak faces Dinamo Minsk as the Red-and-Whites try to return to victory after three straight losses. Spartak recently lost to Lokomotiv (1:3), Dynamo Moscow (2:3), and CSKA (0:2), and will try to return to victory in a home game against a difficult opponent that defeated the Muscovites twice this season. The Belarusians have now three wins in a row, having defeated Lada (8:3), Severstal (7:4), and Lokomotiv (4:2), surpassing the Lynx in the Western Conference’s standings at 73 points, one more than the Cherepovets side. Spartak is now tied with SKA in seventh place, at 62 points. The duo has a fifteen-point cushion over the Shanghai Dragons. The Belarusians may find themselves qualified for postseason today if they gain points against Spartak or the Shanghai Dragons don’t defeat CSKA in regulation.
17:00: Spartak (28-20-6, 7th W) vs Dinamo Minsk (33-15-7, 2nd W)
About the game
Spartak ends a three-game home series on a three-match losing streak.
Dinamo Minsk plays the lone road game of the series following three straight wins.
The season series between the two sides is 0-2 (0:3, 0:6).
Dinamo Minsk’s forward Sam Anas is on a three-game scoring streak, with 8 (3+5) points over that stretch.
Dinamo Minsk’s forward Alex Limoges is also on a three-game scoring streak, with 7 (2+5) points.
Dinamo Minsk’s forward Vadim Shipachyov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 6 (2+4) points.
Dinamo Minsk’s forward Ryan Spooner had at least an assist in each of his previous four matches, totaling five helpers.
Injury list
Spartak: Nikita Buruyanov, Lucas Lockhart.
Dynamo Minsk: Joshua Brook, Andrei Stas.
Milestone alert
Dinamo Minsk’s forward Vadim Shipachyov may reach 700 KHL assists (currently at 695).
Dinamo Minsk’s goalie Vasily Demchenko may record his 30th league shutout.
Closing out an exciting match day is a showdown between the Shanghai Dragons and CSKA. The clock is ticking for the Dragons, who are now at fifteen points from the playoffs line. CSKA is now on a seven-game winning streak — Igor Nikitin’s side has almost a full calendar month without a defeat, their last loss coming on Jan. 17. What’s more, the Red-and-Blues have not conceded for 142 minutes and 58 seconds, recording shutouts against the Dragons (1:0 on Feb. 5) and Spartak Moscow (2:0). The Chinese franchise failed to win since Jan. 30, also falling to Avangard (3:5), Lokomotiv (0:2), and Severstal (2:3). Mitch Love’s team currently sit ninth in the Western Conference. CSKA is fifth with 68 points — just two fewer than fourth-placed Torpedo.
17:00: Shanghai Dragons (19-27-9, 9th W) vs CSKA (30-17-8, 6th W)
About the game
The Shanghai Dragons wrap up a seven-game home series on a four-match losing streak.
CSKA enters the third game of a six-match road trip on a seven-game winning streak.
The season series between the two sides is 0-2 (2:3, 0:1).
CSKA’s goalie Alexander Samonov has a shutout streak of 82:36, while Dmitry Gamzin stands at 79:29.
Injury list
Shanghai Dragons: Jeremy Groleau, Ben Harpur, Andrei Kareyev, Kirill Rasskazov, Patrik Rybar.
CSKA: Denis Guryanov, Danila Moiseyev, Vladislav Provolnev.
Milestone alert
Shanghai Dragons’ forward Kirill Rasskazov may reach 100 assists in the league (currently at 99).
