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CSKA chase a thirteenth straight win in an action-packed KHL Wednesday
A new week continues with CSKA riding a remarkable 12-game winning streak into a Moscow derby against Spartak, who have won four straight themselves and are among the few sides to have beaten the team this season. Elsewhere, six-game winning streak holders Severstal host the Shanghai Dragons, while Eastern Conference leader Metallurg faces Salavat Yulaev for the third time this season. Admiral meets Barys in Vladivostok, and Ak Bars hosts Torpedo in Kazan.
The matchday kicks off in Vladivostok with an intriguing clash between Admiral and Barys as the teams collide for the first time in the current season. Barys plays its second game in the Far East, following a 5-2 loss in Khabarovsk on Monday. The Kazakhs remained among the top teams in the Eastern Conference standings, at 20 points, and nevertheless maintained a good pace with three wins in five matches. The hosts also have three victories in five games, including a recent blanking of Salavat Yulaev, also on Monday (2-0), with Borna Rendulic scoring in his debut game with the Sailors’ jersey. The key difference is their position in the standings, with the Sailors currently out of the playoff places in the East, ninth in the standings.
The matchday continues in Magnitogorsk, with a third showdown between Metallurg and Salavat Yulaev. Magnitka swept the season series so far, with two wins. Earlier in the season, Metallurg celebrated a 4-3 win in Ufa, courtesy of a two-goal performance by Nathan Todd. Then, on Oct. 9, Vladimir Vorobyov’s men thumped Salavat Yulaev at home (7-1) in one of the first games under the new coach. After that game, Metallurg marched on with three more wins, over Torpedo (3-2 OT), Dinamo Minsk (1-3), and Avtomobilist (4-2), while the Ufa team collected a 2-2 record, most recently losing to Admiral (0-2). While Magnitka is the undisputed leader of the Eastern Conference with 29 points, Salavat follows in fifth place, lagging ten points behind. Metallurg is now riding a five-game winning streak as the team is yet to record a loss under new coach Vorobyov.
In Kazan, Ak Bars hosts Torpedo as the teams face for the second time in the current campaign. On Sept. 14, the Nizhny Novgorod side celebrated a 3-2 home win, and today Ak Bars will try to avenge that loss on home ice. Torpedo enters today’s game after a 4-1 loss in Cherepovets, a result that sent the team down to fourth place in the Western Conference. Ak Bars’ season is not as bright, but the team is currently on a two-win run after victories in St. Petersburg over the Shanghai Dragons (3-2 OT) and in Minsk (4-1). With these two good results, Ak Bars climbed to sixth place in the East; not as high as the team anticipated to be, but the standings are very tight.
The action then shifts to the Western Conference for a pair of matches. In Cherepovets, Severstal hosts the Shanghai Dragons with the teams being at their second confrontation in the season. On Oct. 3, the Steelers recorded a 2-1 OT win led by 42 saves from Alexander Samoilov. It marked the start of Severstal’s current six-game winning streak. The Steelers enter today’s game in third place in the Western Conference standings. The Shanghai Dragons, however, returned to winning ways on Monday, celebrating a 5-2 victory in Sochi, with Calen Addison scoring his first KHL goal – a tally that proved to be the game-winner for the team. With two exciting teams facing off, the home crowd can expect an entertaining game in Cherepovets.
Closing out an action-packed matchday is a Moscow derby between Spartak and CSKA, which will count against the First Teams’ Cup standings. Spartak is one of the few teams that managed to defeat CSKA in the current season, as the guests enter today’s clash on a twelve-game winning streak. Not surprisingly, the team is now at the top of the Western Conference standings alongside Lokomotiv and boasts the best attack and defense in the West. Spartak has shown good form as well, winning four consecutive road games: two in Sochi (5-2, 2-0), and two in the Far East (2-1 against Amur and 5-1 against Admiral). The Red-and-Whites are now in fifth place in the West. Will Alexei Zhamnov be able to stop CSKA’s march once again?
12:30: Admiral (6-7-3, 9th E) vs Barys (10-7-0, 2nd E)
About the game
Admiral ends a four-game home series following a win over Salavat Yulaev on Monday (2-0).
Barys enters the third game of its nine-game road trip after a loss to Amur (2-5), also on Monday.
Admiral’s goalie Nikita Boyarkin is on a 76:30 shutout streak.
Injury list
Admiral: Mario Grman, Ivan Kulbakov, Artyom Pimenov.
Barys: Madi Dikhanbek.
17:00: Metallurg (14-3-1, 1st E) vs Salavat Yulaev (9-8-1, 5th E)
About the game
Metallurg, who defeated Salavat Yulaev twice earlier in the season (4-3, 7-1), is in the middle of a three-game home series and has won its last five matches.
Salavat Yulaev wraps up a three-game road trip after a loss to Admiral on Monday (0-2).
Metallurg’s defenseman Valery Orekhov is on a four-game scoring streak, with 7 (2+5) points over that stretch.
Metallurg’s forward Ruslan Iskhakov is also on a four-game scoring streak, with 4 (2+2) points.
Metallurg’s forward Nikita Mikhailis is on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (1+3) points.
Injury list
Salavat Yulaev: Daniil Alalykin, Alexander Alexeyev, Nikita Bogdanov, Artyom Gorshkov.
Milestone alert
Metallurg’s defenseman Sergei Tolchinsky lines up for his 500th league appearance. The two-time Gagarin Cup champion has 122 goals and 207 assists throughout his KHL career so far.
19:00: Ak Bars (9-7-1, 6th E) vs Torpedo (10-5-1, 4th W)
About the game
Ak Bars plays its only home game of the series on a two-match winning streak.
Torpedo, who defeated Ak Bars earlier in the season (3-2), ends a two-game road trip after losing to Severstal on Monday (1-4).
Torpedo’s forward Daniil Seroukh is on a four-game scoring streak, with 4 (2+2) points over that stretch.
Torpedo’s forward Matvei Polyakov is on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (1+2) points.
Injury list
Ak Bars: Artyom Galimov.
Milestone alert
Ak Bars’ forward Nikita Dynyak lines up for his 400th career appearance.
Ak Bars’ defenseman Nikita Lyamkin may record his 200th career point (currently at 198).
Ak Bars’ forward Alexei Byvaltsev may score his 100th goal in the KHL (currently at 99).
19:00: Severstal (11-4-2, 3rd W) vs Shanghai Dragons (9-4-2, 6th W)
About the game
Severstal, who defeated the Shanghai Dragons earlier in the season (2-1 OT), ends a four-game home series on a five-match winning streak.
The Shanghai Dragons enter the second game of a four-match road trip following a win over HC Sochi on Monday (5-2).
Severstal’s goalie Vsevolod Skotnikov is on a 104:34 shutout streak.
Severstal’s forward Ivan Podshivalov is on a five-game scoring streak, with 7 (3+4) points over that span.
Shanghai Dragons’ defenseman Calen Addison is on a four-game scoring streak, with 4 (1+3) points over that stretch.
Shanghai Dragons’ forward David Chen has scored a goal in each of his last four games.
Shanghai Dragons’ forward Brett Murray is on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (2+1) points.
Injury list
Severstal: Nikolai Burenov, Andrei Churkin.
Shanghai Dragons: Martin Frk.
Milestone alert
Shanghai Dragons’ defenseman Daniil Malorosiyanov may line up for his 100th league appearance.
19:30: Spartak (9-5-2, 6th W) vs CSKA (13-3-0, 1st W)
About the game
Spartak, who defeated CSKA earlier in the season (3-2), starts a three-game home series on a four-match winning streak.
CSKA starts a three-game road trip on a twelve-game winning streak.
Spartak’s forward Alexander Belyayev scored a goal in each of his previous three matches.
CSKA’s goalie Dmitry Gamzin is on an 87:30 shutout streak.
CSKA’s forward Prokhor Poltapov is on a six-game scoring streak, with 9 (5+4) points over that stretch.
CSKA’s forward Maxim Sorkin is also on a six-game scoring streak, with 7 (4+3) points.
Injury list
Spartak: Alexander Bryntsev, Demid Mansurov, German Rubtsov.
Milestone alert
Spartak plays its 1,100th game in the KHL.
CSKA’s defenseman Ivan Patrikhayev lines up for his 100th league appearance.
CSKA’s forward Ivan Drozdov may deliver his 100th career assist (currently at 99).
