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Lada hosts SKA; Severstal faces Lokomotiv
After yesterday’s bonanza, it’s a light KHL Thursday, with only two games on tap. In Togliatti, struggling Lada hosts SKA, then Severstal welcomes Lokomotiv seeking revenge for the Sept. 10 loss with both teams being in excellent form.
In the first game of a light KHL matchday, Lada hosts SKA as the sides meet for the third time after two wins for the St. Petersburg’s franchise. The Togliatti side isn’t in the best position, and is now in the last place in the league’s standings after collecting only one win in the first 15 games in the regular season. Moreover, the team sent top scorer Riley Sawchuk to CSKA in exchange for monetary compensation. Lada is now on a ten-game losing streak that includes two losses in the Far East (3-4 OT to Admiral, 0-1 to Amur) as the situation is getting more and more serious. SKA had a decent start to the season, but now is on a four-game losing streak, with losses in games against Severstal (2-5), Dinamo Minsk (2-4), Dynamo Moscow (3-4 OT), and Severstal again (0-2). The St. Petersburg franchise is currently the eighth seed in the West, and will be looking to revert the trend in today’s game at Lada. After today’s game, the 1,300th for the team in the KHL, SKA will fly back to St. Petersburg, where Igor Larionov’s men will play the next four matches.
After defeating SKA, Severstal is continuing its home stand with a game against Lokomotiv, the reigning two-time Gagarin Cup champion. The Railwaymen already achieved a win over the Steelers, on Sept. 10, when Yegor Surin scored in OT to give Lokomotiv a 2-1 win on home ice. The Yaroslavl team can now boast the best defense in the West with only 22 goals allowed, and is currently battling with CSKA for the first spot in the Conference’s standings after two consecutive victories, over Ak Bars (2-0) and Dinamo Minsk (6-1), respectively. The Steelers have now five wins in a row and won seven of their last ten matches – a record good for third place in the Western table. With so much on stake, it’s going to be an exciting game in Cherepovets between two teams with a different philosophy, but the same goal: winning as much as possible.
18:00: Lada (1-10-4, 11th W) vs SKA (8-5-1, 8th W)
About the game
Lada starts a six-game home series on a ten-match losing streak.
SKA, who defeated Lada twice this season (3:4 OT, 1:2 OT), wraps up a four-game road trip after four consecutive losses.
Injury list
Lada: Ivan Romanov.
SKA: Zakhar Bardakov, Trevor Murphy, Linus Weissbach.
Milestone alert
SKA’s forward Daniil Aimurzin and defenseman Alexei Maklyukov may reach 100 career assists (currently both at 99).
SKA plays its 1,300th game in the KHL. The team has 861 wins in 1,299 games so far.
19:00: Severstal (9-4-2, 3rd W) vs Lokomotiv (11-3-0, 2nd W)
About the game
Severstal enters the second game of a four-match home series on a five-game winning streak.
Lokomotiv, who defeated Severstal earlier in the season (2-1 OT), starts a two-game road trip after winning its last couple of matches.
Severstal’s goalie Vsevolod Skotnikov is on a 104:34 shutout streak.
Severstal’s forward Ivan Podshivalov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (1+3) points over that stretch.
Injury list
Severstal: Nikolai Burenov, Andrei Churkin.
Lokomotiv: Denis Alexeyev, Maxim Beryozkin, Denis Romantsev.
Milestone alert
Severstal’s forward Nikita Artamonov lines up for his 200th league appearance, while Lokomotiv’s defenseman Daniil Misyul reaches 300.
Lokomotiv’s forward Georgy Ivanov may score his 200th career point (currently at 198).
Lokomotiv’s goalie Alexei Melnichuk may record his 10th league shutout.
