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CSKA chase a twelfth straight win in an action-packed KHL Sunday
CSKA looks to extend its remarkable winning streak against a surging Neftekhimik, while Avangard and Traktor meet in Omsk with both teams seeking to improve their standing in the East. Metallurg aims to keep its winning run going against Avtomobilist, and Lada hopes to build on its historic victory over SKA when it hosts Dynamo Moscow. In Minsk, Dinamo and Ak Bars meet as both sides look for greater consistency ahead of the twenty-game mark.
In the first game of an exciting matchday, CSKA seeks an impressive twelfth straight win in a home game against Neftekhimik. The Muscovites climbed to the top of the Western Conference standings and lost their last game on Sept. 13, against Lokomotiv. Most recently, CSKA defeated Salavat Yulaev (3-1), and Dynamo Moscow three times (4-3 SO, 5-2, 1-0). This will be CSKA’s last game of its current homestand, but they will play another game in Moscow (on Wednesday against Spartak), then they will head out on a short road trip to Yekaterinburg and St. Petersburg before a double header against Traktor. Neftekhimik is continuing its surprising season tied with Barys on 20 points in the Eastern table. After a 3-4 loss to Salavat Yulaev, the Wolves bounced back with an extra-time win over Traktor (3-2 OT). It will be an exciting game in Moscow, between two teams close to the top of their conference.
In the meantime, Avangard faces Traktor. The Hawks just defeated Avtomobilist on Friday (4-2), courtesy of a hat-trick from Michael McLeod, and are now tied with the Motormen on 14 points, but still on the wrong side of the playoffs line. The Chelyabinsk side is in a similar position. After a strong 6-2 win over the Shanghai Dragons in St. Petersburg, Traktor suffered an extra-time loss in Nizhnekamsk despite a strong, 41-save performance by Norwegian goalie Henrik Haukeland (2-3 OT), marking the fourth loss in five games. With both teams looking to gain points and improve their positioning in the Eastern table, the fans at the Omsk Arena will likely be treated to an exciting game.
After their loss to Avangard on Friday, the Motormen are continuing their road trip in Magnitogorsk. Metallurg continues to lead the Eastern Conference’s standings and is now on a four-game winning streak after victories against Admiral (3-0), Salavat Yulaev (7-1), Torpedo (3-2 OT), and Dinamo Minsk (3-1), having gone unbeaten since Vladimir Vorobyov took over from Andrei Razin. Avtomobilist is now in eighth place after also losing to Barys in Astana (1-4). The Motormen have now lost three of their last four games, with their only win in that stretch a 4-0 shutout of Avangard on Oct. 6. The latest defeat leaves Avtomobilist in eighth place in the East, putting pressure on the team to get back on track. Meanwhile, Metallurg will look to capitalize on its opponent’s struggles and extend its winning streak to five games.
The action then shifts to the Western Conference for two matches, starting with Lada hosting Dynamo Moscow. Lada had been on a ten-game skid but made history on Thursday when the Togliatti side defeated SKA for the first time in KHL history with a tight 1-0 home win, following 21 consecutive losses to the St. Petersburg franchise. That event, however, didn’t change much in the standings for Lada, which remains in penultimate place in the Western Conference standings. Dynamo Moscow is having a disappointing season so far and sits ninth in the West. After a 4-3 OT win over SKA on Sunday, the Blue-and-Whites lost twice, to CSKA (0-1) and Torpedo (4-5). With both defeats coming by narrow margins, Dynamo Moscow continues to fight for a playoff spot but needs to start winning more consistently. And after making history on Thursday, will Lada be able to stop Dynamo Moscow’s rising?
In Belarus, a game between Dinamo Minsk and Ak Bars closes out an exciting matchday. It will be the first meeting between the two sides in the current season. Both teams are lacking consistency. On Friday, the Kazan side returned to winning ways in extra-time against the Shanghai Dragons after four straight losses, when Kirill Semyonov found the back of the net in OT to give Ak Bars a 3-2 verdict. The win allowed Ak Bars to move up to sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings. The Belarusians are currently the seventh seed in the West as they alternate wins and losses. Most recently, after a win in St. Petersburg against the Shanghai Dragons (3-2), Dinamo Minsk lost to Metallurg on home ice (1-3). The Bison will be seeking points at home to avoid losing ground to other teams as the twenty-game mark approaches.
14:00: CSKA (12-3-0, 2nd) vs Neftekhimik (9-5-2, 2nd E)
About the game
CSKA ends a two-game home series on an eleven-game winning streak.
Neftekhimik starts a three-game road trip fresh off a win over Traktor on Friday (3-2 OT).
CSKA’s goalie Dmitry Gamzin is on an 87:30 shutout streak.
CSKA’s forward Marat Khairullin is on a five-game scoring streak, with 8 (3+5) points over that stretch.
CSKA’s forward Prokhor Poltapov is also on a five-game scoring streak, with 8 (5+3) points.
CSKA’s forward Maxim Sorkin is on a five-game scoring streak, with 6 (3+3) points.
Milestone alert
CSKA’s forward Dmitry Buchelnikov lines up for his 200th league appearance.
CSKA’s forward Ivan Drozdov and Neftekhimik’s forward Andrei Belozyorov may record their 100th career assist (currently both at 99).
14:00: Avangard (7-7-0, 9th E) vs Traktor (6-8-1, 10th E)
About the game
Avangard is in the middle of a three-game home series following a win over Avtomobilist on Friday (4:2).
Traktor wraps up a three-game road trip after a loss to Neftekhimik also on Friday (2-3 OT).
Traktor’s defenseman Grigory Dronov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (1+2) points over that stretch.
Injury list
Avangard: Pavel Leuka, Nikolai Prokhorkin, Alexander Volkov.
Traktor: Vitaly Kravtsov.
Milestone alert
Traktor’s defenseman Dmitry Breus lines up for his 100th league appearance.
14:30: Metallurg (13-3-1, 1st E) vs Avtomobilist (6-7-2, 8th E)
About the game
Metallurg starts a three-game home series on a four-match winning streak.
Avtomobilist enters the third game of a four-match road trip following two consecutive losses.
Metallurg’s defenseman Valery Orekhov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 6 (2+4) points over that stretch.
Metallurg’s forward Ruslan Iskhakov is also on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (2+1) points.
Injury list
Avtomobilist: Vladimir Galkin, Nikita Shashkov.
Milestone alert
Avtomobilist’s forward Alexander Sharov may reach 200 assists in the KHL (currently at 198).
Avtomobilist’s goalie Evgeny Alikin may record his 30th KHL shutout.
16:00: Lada (2-10-4, 10th W) vs Dynamo Moscow (6-10-2, 9th W)
About the game
Lada enters the second game of a six-match home series following a win over SKA on Thursday (1-0).
Dynamo Moscow wraps up a three-game road trip on a two-match losing streak.
Lada’s goalie Nikita Podsrkebalin is on a 95:41 shutout streak.
Injury list
Lada: Nikita Mikhailov, Ivan Romanov.
Dynamo Moscow: Yegor Rimashevsky, Nikita Tertyshny.
Milestone alert
Dynamo Moscow’s goalie Maxim Motorygin may reach 10 career shutouts.
17:10: Dinamo Minsk (6-5-5, 7th W) vs Ak Bars (8-7-1, 6th E)
About the game
Dinamo Minsk ends a two-game home series following a loss to Metallurg on Wednesday (1-3).
Ak Bars wraps up a two-game road trip after a win over the Shanghai Dragons (3-2 OT).
Injury list
Dinamo Minsk: Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Vasily Demchenko, Sergei Kalinin, Nicolas Meloche.
Ak Bars: Artyom Galimov.
Milestone alert
Dinamo Minsk’s forward Stanislav Galiyev lines up for his 600th league appearance.
