The regular season’s final week kicks off with seven games
A seven-game KHL matchday features key clashes across both conferences. Sibir hosts CSKA in a game with playoff implications, while league leaders Metallurg welcome Avtomobilist. Traktor faces SKA as the Chelyabinsk side marks its 1,200th KHL game, and Barys meets Admiral in Kazakhstan. In Nizhny Novgorod, Torpedo takes on Neftekhimik. The Moscow derby sees Spartak battle Dynamo, while the day concludes with Severstal hosting Ak Bars in a cross-conference showdown.
The matchday starts with a showdown between Sibir and CSKA. The game may send the Novosibirsk side to the playoff – and condemn Amur to an early vacation – if the guests obtain a win today in any way. Sibir enters today’s game after a home loss to Metallurg (1:2 OT) and are in eighth spot in the Eastern Conference’s table. CSKA is on a roll, with four consecutive victories. The Muscovites collected wins over Traktor (1:0), HC Sochi (twice, both times 2:1), and Avtomobilist (3:0). Today’s game, other than a remarkable fifth win in a row, may also represent CSKA’s eight-hundredth in the KHL. It will be the second meeting between the two teams this season, with CSKA claiming an early win. The Muscovites are currently the fourth seed in the West.
15:30: Sibir (27-29-9, 8th E) vs CSKA (37-21-8, 4th W)
About the game
Sibir enters the second game of a four-match home series following a loss to Metallurg on Friday (1:2 OT).
CSKA, who defeated Sibir earlier in the season (4:0), enters the third game of a four-match home series on a four-game winning streak.
CSKA’s goalie Dmitry Gamzin is on a 74:52 shutout streak.
Injury list
Sibir: Ilya Talaluyev.
CSKA: Klim Kostin, Danila Moiseyev, Vladislav Provolnev.
Milestone alert
CSKA’s forward Sergei Kalinin may net his 100th KHL goal.
CSKA may celebrate its 800th win in the KHL.
Then, in Magnitogorsk, Metallurg seeks to stretch its winning streak in a home game against Avtomobilist. The league leaders won three straight matches, all in extra time, over Traktor (3:2 SO), Salavat Yulaev (2:1 OT) and Sibir (2:1 OT). The team has already secured the Continental Cup as the regular season’s winner. The visitors will begin a three-game road trip, which will also conclude their regular-season campaign. Two days ago, the Motormen failed to find the net against CSKA, losing 0:3. However, the results of Nikolai Zavarukhin’s side no longer affect their position in the standings, as the team is set to finish fourth in the Eastern Conference.
17:00: Metallurg (48-10-7, 1st E) vs Avtomobilist (39-22-4, 4th E)
About the game
Metallurg plays the lone home game of the series on a three-match winning streak.
Avtomobilist starts a three-game road trip following a loss to CSKA on Saturday (0:3).
The season series between the two teams is 3-2 (5:4, 6:5, 4:1, 1:8, 1:3).
Metallurg’s defenseman Valery Orekhov had an assist in each of his previous three matches.
Injury list
Metallurg: Dmitry Silantyev.
Milestone alert
Avtomobilist’s goalie Vladimir Galkin may record his 10th career shutout.
In the meantime, Traktor hosts SKA. The teams first met this season on Sept. 11 in St. Petersburg, where SKA prevailed 5:2. The team currently carries a five-game winning streak, and three days earlier they thrashed Severstal 5:0 in the Northern capital. With 79 points, the visitors sit fifth in the Western Conference. Traktor, meanwhile, is sixth in the Eastern Conference with 69 points. The Black-and-Whites’ last three games have all gone beyond regulation, and only in the most recent one did the team coached by Evgeny Koreshkov—who worked on SKA’s coaching staff as recently as last season—secure a victory, defeating Torpedo 3:2 in overtime. Notably, the upcoming match will be the 1,200th in the history of Kontinental Hockey League for the Chelyabinsk club.
17:00: Traktor (30-26-9, 6th E) vs SKA (36-22-7, 5th W)
About the game
Traktor enters the second game of a four-match home series following a win over Torpedo on Friday (3:2 OT).
SKA, who defeated Traktor earlier in the season (5:2), starts a two-game road trip on a five-match winning streak.
SKA’s goalie Artemy Pleshkov is on a 91:49 shutout streak.
SKA’s forward Nikolai Goldobin is on a three-game scoring streak, with 5 (1+4) points over that stretch.
Injury list
Traktor: Sergei Mylnikov.
SKA: Trevor Murphy, Nikita Zaitsev.
Milestone alert
Traktor plays its 1,200th KHL game.
Then, in Kazakhstan, Barys hosts Admiral. The teams will face each other for the third consecutive game after the matches in Vladivostok. This will be their final meeting of the season, with Barys Astana currently holding the edge in the season series. Both sides have already lost their chances of reaching the playoffs. With 53 points, the Astana side sits second from bottom in the Eastern Conference, five points ahead of the Sailors. Over the last four games the Far Eastern team has recorded two wins, while Barys have secured three positive results over the same stretch. Defenceman Libor Sulak could extend the Vladivostok club’s record for the longest personal scoring streak in its history, having collected points in ten consecutive games (4+10).
17:30: Barys (21-34-11, 10th E) vs Admiral (18-35-12, 11th E)
About the game
Barys plays the lone home game of the series following a loss to Admiral on Saturday (2:6).
Admiral starts a three-game road trip fresh off its win over Barys.
The season series between the two sides is 3-2 (3:0, 2:5, 4:1, 2:1, 2:6).
Barys’ forward Tyce Thompson is on a four-game scoring streak, with 4 (2+2) points over that stretch.
Admiral’s defenseman Libor Sulak is on a ten-game scoring streak, with 14 (4+10) points.
Admiral’s forward Stepan Starkov is on a five-game scoring streak, with 7 (2+5) points.
Injury list
Barys: Arslan Shaikhmeddenov.
Admiral: Alexander Daryin, Mario Grman, Vladislav Kara, Ivan Muranov, Semyon Ruchkin.
Milestone alert
Admiral’s forward Vladimir Bruykvin may line up for his 600th career appearance.
The action then switches to the Western Conference, starting with Torpedo taking on Neftekhimik. At present, the Nizhny Novgorod side is on a two-game road losing streak after defeats to Avangard (1:4) and Traktor (2:3 OT). With 79 points, the hosts sit sixth in the Western Conference—level with SKA above them and Dynamo Moscow just below. Neftekhimik is seventh in the Eastern Conference with 67 points, two fewer than Traktor in sixth place. Igor Grishin’s side hasn’t lost since 5 March, recording two wins in that span against Admiral (4:3) and the Chelyabinsk team (2:1 OT). Will they manage to secure a third consecutive victory? Defenceman Dinar Khafizullin is expected to return to the Wolves’ line-up soon after injury, while forward Vladislav Barulin remains the only player still on the injured list.
19:00: Torpedo (36-23-7, 6th W) vs Neftekhimik (32-30-3, 7th E)
About the game
Torpedo starts a two-game home series on a two-match losing streak.
Neftekhimik starts a three-game road trip on a two-game winning streak.
The season series between the two teams is 1-2 (1:2, 5:2, 0:5).
Neftekhimik’s defenseman Maxim Fedotov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (1+2) points over that stretch.
Injury list
Neftekhimik: Vladislav Barulin.
Milestone alert
Torpedo’s forward Dmitry Shevchenko may reach 100 career points (currently at 99).
Torpedo’s forward Shane Prince may net his 100th KHL goal (currently at 99).
In Moscow, Spartak and Dynamo Moscow will dispute their sixth derby this season. The return of Alexei Zhamnov to Spartak’s bench after a lengthy absence for medical reasons was marked by a victory over Amur (1:0 OT). Earlier this season, the Red-and-Whites lost three of their five meetings with Dynamo Moscow. At present, the Blue-and-Whites are on a three-game winning streak, having defeated Dinamo Minsk (6:4), Shanghai Dragons (4:2) and Salavat Yulaev (3:2 SO). With 79 points, the team coached by Vyacheslav Kozlov sits seventh in the Western Conference, trailing SKA and Torpedo only on tie-breakers. Spartak Moscow is in eighth spot, three points behind the Blue-and-Whites.
19:30: Spartak (35-24-6, 8th W) vs Dynamo Moscow (37-23-5, 7th W)
About the game
Spartak enters the second game of a four-match home series following a win over Amur on Friday (1:0 OT).
Dynamo Moscow ends a two-game road trip on a three-match winning streak.
The season series between the two teams is 2-3 (0:5, 4:2, 0:1, 5:3, 2:3).
Spartak’s goalie Alexander Georgiyev is on a 76:18 shutout streak.
Dynamo Moscow’s defenseman Daniil Pylenkov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 6 (1+5) points over that stretch.
Dynamo Moscow’s defenseman Alexei Ozhiganov had an assist in each of his previous three matches.
Injury list
Spartak: Brandon Biro.
Dynamo Moscow: Fredrik Claesson, Kirill Gotovets, Artyom Mikheyev.
Milestone alert
Dynamo Moscow’s defenseman Artyom Sergeyev may reach 100 KHL assists (currently at 99).
Dynamo Moscow’s goalie Maxim Motorygin may record his 10th career shutout.
The matchday wraps up with a showdown between Ak Bars and Severstal. The teams first met in the current regular season on Dec. 30 in Kazan, when Ak Bars Kazan claimed victory beyond regulation (4:3 SO). The visitors are currently on a three-game winning streak, having defeated Sibir (6:3), Spartak (4:1) and HC Sochi (2:0). With 90 points, the team coached by Anvar Gatiyatulin will finish the regular season third in the Eastern Conference. Severstal sits in the top three of the Western Conference and are still battling remotely with Dinamo Minsk for second place. Three days ago, the Cherepovets side suffered a 0:5 defeat in St. Petersburg against SKA, the fourth loss in the last five games.
19:30: Severstal (39-21-6, 3rd W) vs Ak Bars (41-16-8, 3rd E)
About the game
Severstal starts a two-game home series following a loss to SKA on Friday (0:5).
Ak Bars, who defeated Severstal earlier in the season (4:3 SO), starts a three-game road trip on a three-match winning streak.
Ak Bars’ goalie Maxim Arefyev is on a 65:21 shutout streak.
Ak Bars’ forwards Nathan Todd and Alexander Chmelevsky are on a four-game scoring streak, with 4 (2+2) points over that stretch.
Ak Bars’ forward Artyom Galimov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (1+3) points.
Milestone alert
Ak Bars’ goalie Timur Bilyalov may record his 40th KHL shutout.
