Torpedo hosts Amur while Severstal faces Avangard
Two inter-conference games highlight the action in the regular season’s penultimate matchday, with Torpedo welcoming Amur and Severstal clashing with Avangard.
In the first game of the day, Torpedo hosts Amur. It will be the final game of the regular season for both sides. The Tigers failed to reach the playoff zone this year; despite a lingering chance, they will finish ninth in the Eastern Conference. Nizhny Novgorod, meanwhile, has secured a spot in the Western Conference top eight, and the main question now is who their opponent will be in the first round.
At the moment, Alexei Isakov’s team is on a three-game losing streak, with defeats to Avangard (1:4), Traktor (2:3 OT), and Neftekhimik (3:6). Will they be able to avoid a fourth straight loss to close out the regular season? The Far Eastern side, for its part, lost 2:5 to Lada three days ago.
19:00: Torpedo (36-24-7, 8th W) vs Amur (26-33-8, 9th E)
About the game
Torpedo, who defeated Amur earlier in the season (2:1), ends a two-game home series on a three-match losing streak.
Amur wraps up a four-game road trip following a loss to Lada on Monday (2:5).
Torpedo’s defenseman Bogdan Konyushkov had an assist in each of his previous three matches.
Injury list
Amur: Alex Broadhurst, Igor Shvyryov, Evgeny Svechnikov.
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).
Then, Avangard pays a visit to Cherepovets. The upcoming game could determine Severstal’s final position in the Western Conference standings. The Cherepovets side will lose any chance of finishing second and drop to third place if they fall to Avangard in regulation. At the moment, the hosts are tied on points with Dinamo Minsk (86), who hold the edge on tiebreakers. For Omsk, the game carries little significance in terms of standings, as they are set to finish second in the Eastern Conference with 97 points. The Hawks are currently on a three-game winning streak, with victories over Torpedo (4:1), the Shanghai Dragons (6:1), and Dinamo Minsk (4:3 OT). Severstal, meanwhile, defeated Ak Bars 4:2 at home three days ago.
19:00: Severstal (40-21-6, 3rd W) vs Avangard (46-16-5, 2nd E)
About the game
Severstal, who defeated Avangard earlier in the season (4:3 OT), ends a two-game home series following a win over Ak Bars on Monday (4:2).
Avangard ends a two-game road trip on a three-game winning streak.
Avangard’s forward Konstantin Okulov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 5 (2+3) points over that stretch.
Avangard’s forward Giovanni Fiore, who lines up for his 200th league appearance today, is also on a three-game scoring streak, with 6 (5+1) points.
Injury list
Severstal: Ruslan Abrosimov.
