Soviet hockey legend Vladislav Tretiak summarized his position best: "There is no position in sport as noble as goaltending."

Those who live between the pipes are often characterized as a different breed—some of the most memorable, enigmatic and beloved personalities in hockey history. CSKA goaltender and reigning Gagarin Cup Champion Ilya Sorokin is well on his way to the upper echelons of this fraternity, and has already established himself with the hockey-babushka demographic in Toronto (but I will let him tell you more about that later).

Sorokin, 24, hails from Novokuznetsk—a city that has produced a significant number of starting goaltenders in both the NHL and KHL, from Sergei Bobrovsky to Ivan Nalimov. The 2014 New York Islanders draft pick posted a 1.16 GAA in the regular season last year, placing him third behind newly-minted New York Rangers star Igor Shestyorkin and CSKA teammate Lars Johansson (it is worth noting Ilya played 40 games, while the others notched fewer than 30). In the playoffs, he led the pack.

On the subject of Shestyorkin, the former Army Derby rivals share a friendship as fierce as their competition on the ice—a relationship that Sorokin says he hopes will continue to nudge the promising pair in the right direction.

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Публикация от Ilya Sorokin (@soroka_89)19 Апр 2019 в 3:04 PDT

I caught up with Sorokin at CSKA Arena after evening skate. We discussed a number of memorable moments in his career, in addition to his dramatic playoff makeover.

Gillian Kemmerer (GK): As I recently discussed with Kaprizov, a number of great players hail from Novokuznetsk—but especially goaltenders. Can you explain why this is the case?

Ilya Sorokin (IS): I think it’s all about trust. There weren’t high expectations for the team, and it was a little low on the financial side. [Metallurg Novokuznetsk] had to rely on young players a lot, so that’s why youngsters were getting a lot of ice time. You would gain experience step-by-step, and that led you to new levels.

GK: Is there any particular goaltending coach who defined the careers of the Novokuznetsk alumni? 

IS: Personally, in my first few KHL seasons, it was Nikolai Alexandrovich Mishin. After him, every other coach I worked with has helped my development; I think I’ve taken a little bit from everyone I’ve ever worked with. As for Mishin, he also worked with [Andrey] Kareyev, [Ivan] Nalimov and [Vladislav] Podyapolsky. He also worked with [Sergei] Bobrovsky, but I’m not sure for how long.

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Публикация от Ilya Sorokin (@soroka_89)29 Июн 2015 в 8:43 PDT

IS: [In English] I don’t like running! [Laughs] And the equipment looks beautiful.

GK: Nice gear, no running…I must be a goalie too then. Let’s talk about another member of our club who made news recently: Igor Shestyorkin. How do you manage friendship and fierce rivalry at the same time?

IS: It’s actually kindof fun. I met him when I was seventeen in Novogorsk at a Team Russia camp. We would always face each other at all levels of hockey. When the puck dropped, we weren’t friends anymore…but after the game, we would just hug, joke around and tease one another. 

That’s what it has been like and, hopefully, it’s going to stay that way in the future. I hope our friendship is going to nudge the two us in the right direction and be the foundation for further improvement.

GK: I was at Madison Square Garden when Igor debuted for the New York Rangers. Has he shared any impressions from that night?

IS: I congratulated him on the win and wished him luck, but he didn’t say much. He has a tight schedule and so do I. Hopefully, I’ll get a chance to ask him about that when we meet in the summer. He did say that it was an incredible feeling and no words could describe it.

GK: There is a viral Instagram video of you two singing in the streets of Milan. If you happen to coincide in New York someday soon…will we have more music?

IS: [In English] Only in the summer!

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Публикация от ЯРУШИН СТАНИСЛАВ (@yarushinstanislav)25 Июн 2018 в 6:03 PDT

GK: What would be the name of your Russian goalie boy band?

IS: We would have to work on one [laughs]… and get a producer! 

GK: Challenge accepted! I saw a touching video this week on the KHL’s social media. Your pads for the All-Star Game were decorated by children at Moscow’s Pediatric Institute.

IS: Yeah, we went over there with people from Bauer. It was a center for kids with heart diseases. We gave them presents, and I asked them to do me a favor and draw pictures on my pads for the All Star Game. We’re going to auction them after the game and donate all profit to [Vilen Prokofyev], a Kazakh goaltender who fights cancer, for his treatment.

The only problem is that the pictures were drawn with sharpies. If the puck hits the pads, it will wipe them off—so I’m only going to wear them for the Skills Competition. 

Ilya Sorokin poses with his pads for me, decorated by children at the pediatric institute. They will go to auction after the game as a fundraiser for Vilen Prokofyev, a young Kazakh goaltender who fights cancer. @hccska#KHLAllStars#islespic.twitter.com/w2HmGgYeJu

— Gillian Kemmerer (@gilliankemmerer) January 18, 2020

GK: On the subject of gear, I heard that you had a mask that caused you bad luck earlier in the season… 

IS: True. It wasn’t just about bad luck; [the mask] had minor defects too. I thought I would still try it out, see how it goes, and if it wasn’t too bad I would still use it. 

Turned out that the games didn’t go too well, and combined with the defects, I had to go back to my old mask. [In English, laughs] 70 me, 30 mask.

GK: You were traded to CSKA right before the World Juniors 2015. That must have been a shocking realization.

IS: I read about it on the internet! I was thinking, "Wow, so what am I going to do now?” I wasn’t sure what it meant for me. But now I can say that the move was good for my career. Everything happens for a reason. I can’t say I was scared at first, but I certainly had my doubts. 

GK: You had an amazing exhibition game against Team Canada prior to the World Juniors, posting something like 49 saves. I heard the media attention was insane. 

IS: Unfortunately, it was just an exhibition game. [In English] Not a gold medal game. It wasn’t a serious game. 

GK: That’s not what everyone else thought…

IS: Yeah, and I was surprised the next day when we went to a hotel just outside of Toronto. An 80-year-old grandmother walked up to me and asked, “Which one of you is that goaltender Sorokin?” I told her it was me, and she asked me for an autograph!

GK: With age comes wisdom—she knew a star was born! Who were the goaltenders that you admired growing up?

IS: When I was a kid, I had one of Don Cherry’s Hockey Night in Canada CDs. My dad got it somewhere. There were a lot of Evgeny Nabokov’s clips when he was still with the San Jose Sharks, so I watched a lot of his highlights growing up. But when I moved to Novokuznetsk, Sergei Bobrovsky was there and he was just breaking out. I was there for his first couple of seasons. Obviously, when you see such a skilled guy everyday at practice and you see how he plays…he’s a role model for a lot of kids. Not even just in Novokuznetsk, but in all of Russia. [In English] And now, the whole world. 

GK: I ran into your sister on the ice when you won the Gagarin Cup last April. Tell me about why you chose to share that moment with her.

IS: It’s a great feeling to have a family member by your side, one who supports you and roots for you. It multiplies the pleasure when you get to share these emotions with them. 

GK: Some fans on social media were speculating that she was your girlfriend!

IS: [Laughs] I didn’t know about that! 

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Публикация от Ilya Sorokin (@soroka_89)14 Июн 2019 в 10:28 PDT

GK: Who would you say is the toughest forward to play against in the KHL? Who has the most blistering or accurate shot?

IS: Since we have such great defense, I can only say that on our team [Kirill] Kaprizov and [Mikhail] Grigorenko have the best shots. I face them everyday at practice. They drive me insane and make me freak out—it’s frustrating. They’re the best in the league.

I mean, there are a lot of good shooters in the league but it’s hard to choose just one. I practiced with [Alexander] Ovechkin on Team Russia. He’s not in our league, but he definitely has the hardest shot! 

GK: How do you deal with the different ice sizes in the KHL? In North America, we talk a lot about Russian goaltenders coming over and having to adjust to the smaller ice. Is it something you consciously consider every night as CSKA hits the road?

IS: You don’t notice it when you’re in the zone. But when you fall out from the game rhythm, every change affects you because one day you play at a Canadian-sized rink— it’s small and compact—and the next day, you move to a big city with a big rink and that means a different game strategy. So you get mixed up a bit.

GK: What is the most important thing that changes for you?

IS: It’s playing behind the net. It’s all about timing. On a bigger ice surface, you have more time to get up and skate there, but on a smaller ice surface, you don’t have that much time.

GK: I think the best judge of a team’s defense is often the goaltender because ultimately, you’re the one they are protecting. Tell me a little bit about Alexander Romanov. A lot of North Americans are excited about him. 

IS: First of all, he’s a great guy. Speaking of his athletic abilities, he’s hard-working and very gifted. I’m not going to say anything else so he doesn’t get carried away…but if he keeps working hard, he’s going to be a great player.

GK: What would you say was the most exciting night of your career so far?

IS: Hopefully, it’s still coming. 

GK: Good answer. You grew your hair very long last season and I barely recognize you sitting here now. Should we expect to see that again if you go deep into the playoffs?

IS: Yes, I’m going to — in fact, I already am. 

GK: Is that your only superstition?

IS: It’s not even that. The mask just starts to dangle if you put it on a shaved head. I’m serious! It bothers me because I shave my head often.

GK: Lastly, how do you cope with long flights?

IS: Sleeping, reading, TV-series. 

GK: No cards?

IS: [In English] No, I don’t like it. No one plays poker on CSKA. Maybe if they did, I’d start.

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Публикация от Ilya Sorokin (@soroka_89)18 Июл 2019 в 8:19 PDT

The Kontinental Hockey League’s commission has determined the best players of the eighteenth week of the Regular Season in four categories.

- best goalie was Magnus Hellberg (SKA), who won two games last week, including one shutout, allowing only one goal. The Swedish netminder stopped 97.30% of the shots he faced, with a goals-against average of 0.50 (best result of the week). Hellberg’s shutout streak is now at 102 minutes and 43 seconds.

- best defenseman was Vyacheslav Voynov (Avangard), who won three away games last week with his team, scoring 4 (0+4) points (best result of the week among blueliners). The Omsk D-Man posted two assists in each game against Admiral (on Jan. 15 and 16), posted no negative ratings, finished the week being plus-3, and recorded four hits. Voynov logged an average time on ice of 27 minutes and 52 seconds (the highest in the League last week).

- best forward was Vladimir Tkachyov (SKA), who won two games with his team last week, scoring 5 (3+2) points (best result of the week among forwards). Tkachyov scored points in both games, posting a double against Jokerit, including the game-winning goal. The St. Petersburg defenseman posted no negative ratings, ending the week plus-3, had ten shots on goal, and recorded two hits.

- best rookie was goalie Dmitry Shugayev (Severstal), who played two full games last week, winning one and allowing only two goals. The 21-years-old Cherepovets netminder stopped the 93.33% of the 45 shots he faced, with a goals-against average of 1.49.

It was all about All-Stars this week, with all eyes on Moscow for one of the most entertaining spectacles of the season. From Pushkin to penalty shots, there was something for everyone across two days of fun and excitement at the VTB Arena. But the regular season continues, and CSKA is the first team to book a place in this year’s playoffs. A big win over Sochi last week confirmed the league leader will be in the top eight in the West.

Team Bobrov wins the All-Star Game

Sunday’s four-team mini-tournament produced an enthralling conclusion to the 2020 FONBET All-Star Week. The KHL’s top players turned out to represent their divisions and produced an entertaining afternoon of 3-on-3 action. Team Bobrov, bolstered by Dynamo’s stars playing on home ice, took the prize, edging Western Conference rival Team Tarasov in a shoot-out following a 6-6 tie in the final. Team Chernyshev claimed bronze with a shoot-out win of its own over Team Kharlamov. But Kharlamov did not leave empty-handed; on Saturday it dominated the Skill Show to take top spot in that contest.

Pushkin, pace and power – all the excitement of the KHL Skill Show

KHL All-Star Game – Gold for Team Bobrov

Goal getter turns goaltender

Linus Omark has form when it come to All-Star high-jinks – remember his flaming stick a few years back? This year he was unusually quiet during the Skill Show but grabbed all the attention in the bronze medal game on Sunday. The Swedish forward swapped roles with Salavat Yulaev team-mate Juha Metsola and played in goal for the first period of Team Chernyshev’s game against Team Kharlamov. Turns out he’s not a bad goalie; Omark returned for the shoot-out and backstopped a victory. Metsola claimed he always had complete faith in his colleague and joked that they might try the same switch in a regular season game; Omark put his goaltending skills down to the influence of cousin and childhood idol Daniel Hendriksson, a Swedish international goalie who had a brief spell in Russia with Sibir.

‘I had absolute faith in Linus as a goalie’ – the players on the ASG

A Kazakh-Canadian Pushkin

Barys captain Darren Dietz was one of the stars of Saturday’s Skill Show, delighting the Moscow crowd with an unexpected recital of poetry by Alexander Pushkin, widely regarded as the founder of Russian literature. Dietz, Canadian born but now a naturalized Kazakh, made 13 appearances in the NHL with Montreal, but has since established himself as a free-scoring star on the Barys blue line. And, judging by his efforts in declaiming Russian verse, he’s picked up a good chunk of the local culture since moving to the KHL.

The Skill Show also had echoes of another Russian literary classic, Turgenev’s 19^th-century novel Fathers and Sons. Two players – Alexander Semin and Yakov Rylov– nominated their kids to take their penalty shots with them during Saturday’s spectacle.

‘Russian literature is more interesting than English’: Dietz on Pushkin

Juniors impress in exalted company

Once again, four leading players from the Junior Hockey League were invited back to the All-Star Week to take part in the highlight of the action – the KHL All-Star Game. And the quartet made an impact over the course of the weekend. German Shaporev, a forward with Altai Ust-Kamenogorsk, blasted a hat-trick for Team Bobrov in its semi-final win and finished with 6 (4+2) points. Nikita Goncharov (Russkiye Vityazi) was close behind with 5 (2+3) points while Omskiye Yasterby’s Yegor Chinakhov became the first player born in the 21^st century to feature at an All-Star Game and converted the penalty shot that confirmed Team Chernyshev’s bronze medal. Yegor Anisimov of Dynamo St. Petersburg shone in the Skill Show, completing the fastest lap of the ice to win the opening event for Team Tarasov.

Ladies return to the All-Star Game

The Juniors weren’t the only players representing their league at the weekend. Russia’s Women’s Hockey League is also a key part of the All-Star festivities and two players – Rachel Llanes of KRS Vanke Rays and Yekaterina Lebedeva of Agidel Ufa – were involved in the Skill Show. The ladies were invited to demonstrate the various challenges to the KHL players and the 9,000 fans at the VTB Arena and relished the chance to keep women’s hockey in the spotlight. Llanes also had a challenge for next season: “Being a part of the KHL All-Star Game was a great experience, something I’m really grateful for. Maybe next year it would be great if we could bring some of the girls to play against the guys – I’ve no doubt that we could give them a good game.”

Chernyshenko aims for even better

KHL President Dmitry Chernyshenko pronounced himself happy with the 2020 FONBET All-Star Week – but added that he would welcome ideas for changes to make future years even better. “In a huge city like Moscow there is always a lot of competition for spectators, but our All-Star Weekend attracted 28,000 people to its various events. Today you can see a full arena. Everyone is happy, both with the entertainment and with the organization. We’ve broadcast the All-Star Game to 26 countries, we had plenty of merchandise sales in the arena and I’m sure that we will have a financial success as well as putting on one of the top events of the year.

“Next year we’re looking at how we can tweak the format of the Skill Show and the All-Star Game itself. We’d love to hear new ideas and we’ll consider any suggestions we receive. But the most important thing remains the same: the players and the fans should have a great time!”

CSKA books playoff place

The first team for the 2020 Gagarin Cup playoffs is known – and it’s the defending champion. CSKA, currently out in front at the top of the KHL table, is mathematically certain of a top-eight finish in the Western Conference after its 6-1 victory over ninth-placed HC Sochi on Friday. SKA, currently second in the West, could join CSKA this week if it can pick up two more victories.

CSKA books its playoff spot. January 16 round-up

An den beiden letzten Wochenenden stand wieder das 2020 Fonbet KHL All Star Week am Spielplan. So zeigten vor acht Tagen die Frauen Liga (VHL) und die Junioren Liga (JHL) in der sehr gut besuchten VTB Arena in Moskau ihr Können.

Am Samstag betraten dann die KHL Spieler das All Star Eis. Diese zeigten sich bereits am Samstag bei der Skills Show mehr als gut gelaunt. So überreichte Dinamo Minsk Spieler Vyacheslav Gretsky (Tarasov Division) Spartak Goalie Julius Hudacek (Bobrov Division) mit Draniki eine typische Spiese aus Weißrussland. „Julius hat nichts gesagt, aber er hat alles verschlungen, also muss es gut gewesen sein“; so Vyacheslav Gretskyüber seinen Lieferservice.

Bei den verschiedenen Disziplinen mogelten sich die Spieler teilweise gehörig durch die Prüfungen, dies führte natürlich zur Erheiterung bei den Zuschauern.

Den großen Auftritt dieses Abends hatte aber Barys Nur-Sultan Akteur Darren Dietz. Der Kanadier erschien als Alexander Puschkin und zitierte in russisch aus dessen Werk Winter Morgen. Darren „Puschkin“ Dietzüber seinen Auftritt: „Viele verbinden Russland mit Poesie und Literatur. Ich habe einige von Puschkin Verse gelernt und einige Stunden damit verbracht. Ich interessiere mich für russische Literatur, um ehrlich zu sein. Um ehrlich zu sein, habe ich noch nie von diesem Schriftsteller gehört, bevor ich nach Russland gekommen bin. Ich kenne seine Lebensgeschichte immer noch nicht: das ist meine zweite Aufgabe, heute habe ich nur die erste Lektion abgeschlossen.“

Doch auch Väterchen Frost kam in Form von Egor Morozov und Jyrki Jokipakka erschien unter Anspielung auf seinen Namen als Weihnachtsbaum. „Ich weiß, dass mein Name auf Russisch wie der Ausdruck "yolki-palki" klingt, deshalb habe ich beschlossen, mich für meinen Elfmeter als "yolka", ein Tannenbaum, zu verkleiden. Es ist immer gut, diese Urlaubsstimmung beizubehalten, zumal ich immer davon geträumt habe, Joulopukki, den finnischen Weihnachtsmann, zu treffen.“

Doch auch Alexander Semin ließ sich im Penaltyschiessen etwas besonders einfallen, so durfte sein Sohn den Penaltyshot Versuch seines Vaters, dank Julius Hudacek, auch positiv abschließen.

Alexander Semin:„Vor dem Spiel kam mir spontan die Ideeund er mochte die Idee, also haben wir es gemacht. Ich war seit 2006 nicht mehr bei so einer Veranstaltung. Danke für die Einladung!“

Doch auch zukünftige Stars durften aufzeigen. So war JHL Spieler Yegor Anisimov der schnellste Spieler doch zu langsam für den Altzeitrekord von 12,45 Sekunden aufgestellt von Enver Lisin.

Anisimov nach dem Spiel: „Es ist großartig, Teil des KHL All-Star-Games zu sein, ich war aber richtig nervös bevor es begann. Ich bin stolz darauf, die JHL und meinen Verein Dynamo SPb zu vertreten. Und ich freue mich dass ich derschnellste war. Viele Spieler konnten in ihrer gesamten Karriere zum All-Star-Game und ich habe es schon geschafft. Darauf kann man stolz sein.“

Den schärfsten Schuss des Abends legte der Finne Jyrki Jokipakka (Kharlamov Division) im Dienste von Sibir mit 157,26 Km/h hin.

Gestern Abend fanden sich zum Abschluss dieses Evens die vier Teams zum All Star Game ein. Dabei wurde den vier Division Trainern Alexei Kudashov, Dmitry Kvartalnov, Bob Hartley und Igor Nikitin jeweils ein russischer TV Modorator als Co-Trainer zur Seite gestellt.

Zum Auftakt besiegte das Team der Bobrov Division die Mannschaft der Chernyshev Division mit 7:4. Dabei zeigte der 19-Jährige JHL Gast German Shaporev eine große menge Spielfreude und so war er mit drei Toren und einem Assist einer der drei Spieler in dieser ersten Halbinalbegegnung mit vier Punkten.

Im zweiten Semifinalspiel zwischen der Tarasov und der Kharlamov Division kam es zu den ersten Strafen und so versuchte sich auch einmal Tarasov Division Torhüter Andrei Tikhomirov als Penalty Shot Schütze, er scheiterte jedoch an seinem Gegenüber Timor Bilyalov. Am Ende feierte sein Team aber einen 8:6 Erfolg.

Torpedo Tormann Andrei Tikhomirov:„Ich habe es wirklich genossen. Ich war mir nicht sicher, ob ich mich ernsthaft vorbereiten oder mich nur entspannen musste, aber in dieser Atmosphäre war alles ein Spass. Es bedeutet sehr viel, dass ich mich mit allen Stars der KHL unterhalten konnte aber es geht darum eine Show für die Fans auf die Beine zu stellen. Ich hoffe es hat ihnen gefallen.“

Im Spiel um Platz 3 standen sich also die Teams der Kharlamov und Chernyshev Division gegenüber. Dabei gab es einen Spielertausch im Team von der Chernyshev Division. So tauschten Juha Metsola und Linus Omark die Rollen. Zusätzlich gab es in den 20 Minuten gleich 16 Treffer zu sehen. Dabei zeigte sich der „neue“ Chernyshev Tormann mehr als gut gelaunt. Zuerst „provozierte“ er eine Strafe und bei einem klaren Tor forderte er einen Video Beweis. Der Finne kam bei den Referees, die zugleich der Videobeweis waren, aber nicht durch. In der 16.Minute dann ein Time Out von Dmitry Kvartalnov. Nach ein oder zwei Anweisungen an die Spieler kaute er ein Stück von der Taktiktafel ab, die sich als Kuchen heraus stellte. Nach 20 Minuten hieß es 8:8. Im Shoot-Out setzte sich dank Linus Omark, der alle vier Versuche stoppte die Chernyshev Division mit 9:8 durch. Dabei versuchten sich auf der anderen Seite Juha Metsola und Igor Bobkov gemeinsam im Tor.

Linus Omark:„Ich habe immer davon geträumt einmal im Tor zu spielen. Leider musste ich meine eigenen Skates benutzen; Juhas waren zu eng mit mir, das Spiel hat so viel Spaß gemacht. Übrigens habe ich sogar einen Lieblingsgoalie, meinen Cousin Daniel Henriksson.“

Juha Metsola:„Bei einem unterhaltsamen Event wie dem All-Star-Spiel ist es gut einmal als Stürmer zu spielen. Über seinen Teamkollegen Omark: „Ich hatte absolut Vertrauen in Linus als Tormann. Vielleicht sollten wir das während eines regulären Saisonspiels tun?“ (Lacht)

Im Finale zwischen der Bobrov Division und der Tarasov Division merkte man das dem Bobrov Team gleich vier Dynamo Moskau Akteure angehörten. Diese wollten in ihrer Heim Arena dieses Turnier natürlich gewinnen und so war das Finale etwas mehr als nur eine Exibitation. Besonders Kirill Kaprizov und Alexander Semin wollten dieses Spiel nicht so einfach abgeben. Nach unterhaltsamen 20 Minuten ging auch dieses Spiel in das Penaltyschiessen wobei Mikko Lehtonen den einzigen erfolgreichen Versuch zu verbuchen hatte und so der Bobkov Division Gold und somit auch eine kleine „Huda Show“ einbrachte. Julius Hudaceküber das All Star Game: Ich denke, es war ein gutes Spiel für die Fans. Jeder hoffte auf ein schönes Hockey und wir sahen viele Tore, viele Schüsse. Unser Kapitän ist ein Dynamospieler und wir befinden uns in der Arena von Dynamo. Deshalb haben sich heute viele Fans hier eingefunden.

Dynamo Stürmer Dmitrij Jaskin über diesen Erfolg: „Schön, dass wir heute gewonnen haben. Ich denke, alle Dynamo-Spieler haben sich hier auf dem Heimeis sehr wohl gefühlt. Ich glaube, deshalb haben wir auch gewonnen. Ich weiß nicht, ob es eine Grund zum Feiern ist aber wir chillen einfach zu Hause. Insgesamt war die Veranstaltung super, es hat mir sehr gut gefallen. Wir haben viele interessante Menschen getroffen und hatten eine wirklich tolle Zeit.“

Nach zwei mehr als vergnüglichen Tagen ging dieses KHL All Star Weekend zuende bevor es in der Saison 2020 – 2021 in Riga zur 2021 Auflage kommen wird.

Weitere Stimmem:

Igor Nikitin, CSKA-Cheftrainer:„Es war eine großartige Show für die Fans. Die Jungs haben die Atmosphäre genossen, es hat sehr viel Spaß gemacht. Jeder wollte gewinnen. Ich habe mich nach dem Finale bei den Spielern bedankt, weil sie alles hineingesteckt haben. Für viele war dies nicht das erste Mal beim All Star Game, daher sind sie es gewohnt, aus der harten regulären Saisonplan zu diesem Spiel zu wechseln.“

Leonid Weisfeld, TV-Experte und Kommentator:„Ich konnte mir nur vorstellen, wie ich als Trainer sein würde, aber ich hätte nie gedacht, dass ich vor einer vollen Arena dies könnte. Es hat Spaß gemacht, vor so einem Publikum aufzutreten, und ich wusste, dass ich Teil eines Teams bin, auf das ich mich verlassen kann. Unter den Spielern hat mir die Leistung von Darren Dietz sehr gut gefallen. Mit solchem Gefühl rezitierte er Puschkin. Ich habe noch nie einen Nordamerikaner so gut Russisch sprechen hören. Es ist nicht einfach, Trainer zu sein. Von der Bank aus ist kaum etwas zu sehen. Im Kommentatorenkabine hat man eine andere Ansicht und viele verschiedene Blickwinkel. Das Spiel sieht ganz anders aus!“

For the fifth time this season CSKA will play against SKA leading in the season series by 3-1 record. Jokerit will host Barys trying to improve the position in the standings.

SKA will clinch playoff spot, if:

SKA defeat CSKA in any fashion AND HC Sochi falls in regular time.

14:30 Kunlun Red Star (23-21-7) – Amur (18-22-8)

About the game

Kunlun Red Star is coming into this contest fresh off a win.

Amur is coming into this contest on a 7-game losing streak.

Teams exchanged with 3-2 win this season.

Foo has points in 3 straight games, going 1-3-4 over that span.

Injury list

Kunlun Red Star: David Bondra, Brayden Jaw, Alex Riche.

Amur: Tomas Zohorna, Nikita Kamalov, Maxim Kondratyev.

15:30 Sibir (26-17-5) – Traktor (20-25-5)

About the game

Sibir is coming into this contest on a 5-game winning streak.

Traktor is coming into this contest on a 2-game winning streak.

Teams exchanged with 2-1 wins this season.

Ruohomaa has points in 3 straight games, going 1-4-5 over that span.

Hyka has points in 3 straight games, going 5-0-5 over that span.

Injury list

Sibir: Oleg Piganovich.

Traktor: Sergei Konkov, Yury Sergiyenko, Nikita Shcherbak.

Milestone alert

Sibir defenseman Alexander Loginov is hoping to collect his 100th KHL assist (currently at 99).

Traktor forward Anton Glinkin is hoping to score his 100th KHL goal (currently at 99).

17:00 Salavat Yulaev (23-19-6) – Admiral (23-21-3)

About the game

Both teams are coming into this contest on 2-game losing streaks.

Salavat’s Grigory Panin and Admiral’s Shawn Lalonde are set to miss this game due to suspensions.

Injury list

Salavat: Eduard Gimatov.

Admiral: Grigory Zheldakov, Juho Olkinuora.

Milestone alert

Admiral forward Konstantin Glazachev is hoping to collect 300th KHL point (currently at 298).

Admiral forward Alexander Streltsov is hoping to collect 100th KHL point (currently at 99).

19:00 Neftekhimik (20-21-7) – Avtomobilist (27-14-7)

About the game

Neftekhimik is coming into this contest on a 2-game losing streak.

Avtomobilist is coming into this contest fresh off a win.

Avtomobilist defeated Neftekhimik this season by 5-3, 4-3 and 3-0 scores.

Poryadin has points in 3 straight games, going 2-1-3 over that span.

Injury list

Neftekhimik: Zach Mitchell, Andrei Sergeyev, Bulat Shafigullin.

Avtomobilist: Pavel Datsyuk, Alexander Kucheryavenko, Nikolai Stasenko, Stepan Khripunov.

Milestone alert

Neftekhimik forward Marat Khairullin is set to play his 200th KHL game (currently at 199).

19:00 Torpedo (25-20-4) – Lokomotiv (26-18-4)

About the game

Torpedo is coming into this contest on a 2-game winning streak.

Lokomotiv is coming into this contest on a 2-game losing streak.

Torpedo twice defeated Lokomotiv this season by 4-3, 2-1 scores.

Injury list

Torpedo: Anton Volchenkov, Sergei Goncharuk.

Lokomotiv: Ilya Konovalov, Alexander Svitov.

19:10 Dinamo Minsk (11-28-10) – Spartak (27-14-8)

About the game

Dinamo is coming into this contest on a 3-game losing streak.

Spartak is coming into this contest on a 2-game winning streak.

Spartak twice defeated Dinamo this season by 7-2, 5-1 scores and lost once by 4-5 score.

Daugavins has points in 4 straight games, going 3-3-6 over that span.

Rylov has points in 3 straight games, going 0-3-3 over that span.

Injury list

Dinamo: Oleg Yevenko, Sergei Kostitsyn, Stefan Elliott.

Spartak: Ilya Zubov, Evgeny Kulik, Alexander Nikishin.

Milestone alert

Spartak defenseman Ivan Vishnevsky is hoping to collect his 100th KHL assist (currently at 99).

19:30 Vityaz (24-17-7) – Avangard (31-12-6)

About the game

Vityaz is coming into this contest fresh off a win.

Avangard is coming into this contest on a 4-game winning streak.

Avangard defeated Vityaz this season by 3-0 score.

Vityaz players Evgeny Artyukhin and Alexei Makeyev is going to miss this game due to suspensions.

Injury list

Vityaz: Egor Voronkov, Evgeny Mons.

Avangard: Alexei Bondarev, Alexei Emelin, Alexander Sudnitsin, Maxim Chudinov.

19:30 Dynamo Moscow (29-14-7) – Ak Bars (32-11-4)

About the game

Dynamo is coming into this contest on a 2-game losing streak.

Ak Bars is coming into this contest fresh off a loss.

Ak Bars defeated Dynamo this season by 5-2 score.

Azevedo has points in 3 straight games, going 2-1-3 over that span.

Injury list

Dynamo: Sergei Boikov.

Ak Bars: Artyom Lukoyanov, Andrei Pedan, Viktor Tikhonov, Mikhail Fisenko.

Milestone alert

Dynamo forward Vladimir Bryukvin is set to play his 300th KHL game (currently at 299).

Dynamo forward Vadim Shipachyov is hoping to gain his 650th KHL point (currently at 648).

Dynamo forward Daniil Apalkov is looking for his 200th KHL point (currently at 199).

19:30 CSKA (35-10-4) – SKA (32-12-5)

About the game

CSKA is coming into this contest on a 2-game winning streak.

SKA is coming into this contest on a 3-game winning streak.

CSKA defeated SKA by 3-0, 3-2 SO, 1-0 scores losing only one contest by 2-4.

Kaprizov has points in 7 straight games, going 6-6-12 over that span.

Slepyshev has points in 7 straight games, going 6-5-11 over that span.

Shalunov has points in 3 straight games, going 1-3-4 over that span.

Lehtera has points in 3 straight games, going 1-2-3 over that span.

Ozhiganov has points in 3 straight games, going 1-2-3 over that span.

Injury list

CSKA: Andrei Svetlakov, Jiri Sekac, Ivan Telegin.

SKA: Alexander Barabanov, Anton Burdasov.

19:30 Jokerit (29-12-7) – Barys (29-13-7)

About the game

Jokerit is coming into this contest fresh off a loss.

Barys is coming into this contest on a 3-game winning streak.

Jokerit defeated Barys this season by 4-2 score however their last home game win happened on November 21, 2015 by 2-0 score.

Kontiola has points in 4 straight games, going 2-3-5 over that span.

Ohtamaa has points in 3 straight games, going 1-3-4 over that span.

Injury list

Jokerit: Henri Ikonen, Oliver Lauridsen.

Barys: Iiro Pakarinen, Viktor Svedberg.

Milestone alert

Jokerit forward Petri Kontiola is hoping to pick his 250th KHL assist (currently at 249).

20:30 Dinamo Riga (14-30-4) – HC Sochi (19-22-8)

About the game

Dinamo is coming into this contest on a 4-game losing streak.

Sochi is coming into this contest on a 2-game losing streak.

Sochi twice defeated Dinamo this season by 3-2, 2-1 scores and once lost by 2-3 OT.

Injury list

Dinamo: Kristaps Zile.

Sochi: Vladislav Kaletnik, Malte Stromwall, Dmitry Shikin, Nikita Shchitov.

KHL.ru goes on with the weekly column that features the top 12 teams in the League. These are the results of the eighteenth week.

Power Rankings are a new indicator mathematically calculated basing on the team's performance in the season. The teams started with the same points, and for each regulation win, each side will "steal" the other 25% of its points. In case of an OT or SO win, the loot will drop to 12.5%. Thus, the Power Rankings will indicate what teams are on the run, are defeating their direct competitors, and having winning streaks.

Neftekhimik terminated a contract with defenseman Stepan Zakharchuk. This year 33-year player scored 12 (4+8) points in 41 games.

Vityaz terminated a contract with forward Evgeny Mons. In 2019-20 campaign players earned only 4 (4+0) points in 27 games.

Omark and Metsola swap places in Moscow, Dietz plays Pushkin, Jokipakka tops everyone in the hardest shot competition, and Hellberg blanks the opponents. KHL.ru presents the best international action of the 18th week.

Linus Omark

F, Salavat Yulaev, 2 G, 1 (0+1) points, -1

For once, Linus Omark had underwhelming numbers, earning only one assist in Salavat Yulaev's losing effort in Nur-Sultan. Two days later, the Swede posted no points as Ufa once again lost to Avtomobilist. In both games, Omark wore the 'C' for the Green Men as Panin is still serving his disqualification. However, at the Sunday FONBET 2020 KHL All-Star Game, Omark once again stole the show. If a few years ago, he had a shootout attempt with a flaming stick, this time, he lined up as a goalie in the Bronze Medal game as Team Chernyshev took on Team Kharlamov. With Omark on goal, the team led by Bob Hartley won the first period with a 3-2 score, then secured the win in the shootout blanking the opposition after Metsola returned to his familiar place between the piping only for the second period. With Salavat stuck on the Eastern Conference's eighth place, it's time for Omark to step up and post more solid numbers in Week 19 as Salavat starts off facing Admiral in Ufa.

Juha Metsola

G, Salavat Yulaev, 2 G, 89.98%, GAA 3.41

Just like Omark, Juha Metsola posted underwhelming stats for Ufa, losing both games in the week and losing the goaltending duel to Henrik Karlsson and Jakub Kovar. But once again like Omark, Metsola stole the show at the FONBET 2020 KHL All-Star Game, not only helping Team Chernyshev winning the bronze but lining up as forward swapping places with an inspired Linus Omark. The Finn goalie, known for spectacular saves and consistent play between the piping, picked up an assist helping his teammate Nikita Soshnikov scoring the 3-2 goal in the first period. He then returned to the crease and helped Team Chernyshev to send the game to SO, where they eventually won bronze hardware thanks to Omark's return to the net. Metsola must now raise the bar as the stakes go up as the playoffs approach.

Darren Dietz

D, Barys, 2 G, 1 (1+0) points, even

The 18th week of the regular season was good for the Barys' captain, who helped his team winning both games, against Salavat Yulaev and Metallurg. In the first encounter, Darren Dietz was silent but logged 23:04 of time on the ice as Barys took the lead 5-3 late in the third period. Two days later, Dietz scored his ninth of the season as Barys defeated Metallurg 4-3, cementing their status of the third seed of the Eastern Conference. However, Dietz's best performance happened on Sunday – when he played Alexander Pushkin and read a poem in Russian in front of an enthusiastic crowd at the FONBET 2020 KHL All-Star Game. He wasn't less active on the ice as well, helping Team Chernyshev winning the bronze and scoring twice in the semifinals. Barys is now in the third position in the standings – with more than ten games to go, will the Kazakh franchise climb even higher?

Jyrki Jokipakka

D, Sibir, 3 G 1 (0+1) points, even

With last week's three victories, Sibir is now on a six-game winning streak as the team climbed up to the Eastern Conference's fifth place. Jyrki Jokipakka, who is the fifth most-iced defenseman in the League, started the week assisting on Danil Romantsev's 3-3 goal in the third period against Kunlun Red Star in China. At his first participation in the KHL All-Star Game, Jokipakka won the hardest shot competition with a blistering 164.15 km/h (101.99 mph). Alexander Ryazantsev's record is still unbeaten, but Jokipakka deserves praise for his win. At the Skill Show, he also had his shootout attempt with a Christmas Tree costume. Now that things will turn serious again, Sibir will need Jokipakka's thundering shot to secure themselves a spot on the Eastern Conference's playoffs.

Magnus Hellberg

G, SKA, 2 G, 97.30%, 0.50 goals-against average, 1 shutout

Magnus Hellberg didn't make the FONBET 2020 KHL All-Star Game, but he was nothing short than great between the piping for SKA last week. First, the towering goalie blanked Dinamo Riga as SKA had an easy, 2-0 win at home, then, two days later, Hellberg had 25 saves as St. Petersburg defeated Jokerit with a 4-1 score. The Swedish goalie is now one of the hottest netminders in the League, and SKA will rely on him to catch up CSKA, who is leading the Western Conference with a five-point gap.

The big game of the day saw CSKA get its fourth win in five games against SKA this season. The visitor saw exciting young prospect Vasily Podkolzin get his first KHL goal, but CSKA won it thanks to Sergei Tolchinsky. At the top of the East, Ak Bars silenced Dynamo’s offense to win 2-0 in Moscow, but Avangard had a tougher time at Vityaz before winning a shoot-out. Salavat Yulaev’s win over Admiral gives it some breathing space in the Eastern playoff race, Neftekhimik falls further behind after losing in a shoot-out at home to Avtomobilist and Sibir’s winning streak continues at home to Traktor. Kunlun Red Star also gained a useful result at home to Amur. Dinamo Minsk belied its lowly league position to win at home to Spartak, and Torpedo got a third victory of the season against Lokomotiv.

First goal for Magee

Kunlun Red Star 4 Amur Khabarovsk 2 (1-1, 2-0, 1-1)

Kunlun Red Star picked up another valuable win in its playoff push, defeating Amur 4-2 in Beijing. The game saw significant contributions from two players who came straight off the long-haul flight from the All-Star Game in Moscow at the weekend, and a first KHL goal for Dragons forward Brandon Magee.

The first goal went to Amur, and it was scored by Hynek Zohorna, fresh from representing the Tigers at the All-Star Weekend. However, Kunlun tied it up before the intermission on a power play goal from Hunter Shinkaruk, who converted a feed from Brandon Yip, the home team’s All-Star. That was the first of three assists for Yip as he shrugged off the jetlag to deliver a game-winning display.

Yip’s next helper came on another power play tally as Gilbert Brule put the home team ahead midway through the game. Then we saw Magee, 25, score his first goal for the club after being promoted from KRS-BSU of the VHL back in December. Early in the third, Jake Chelios made it 4-1 with Yip involved again and a comfortable victory seemed certain.

However, Amur always posed an attacking threat in this game and home goalie Simon Hrubec faced 45 shots over the course of the evening. He was beaten for only the second time late on when Pavel Turbin scored in a 6-on-3 power play situation, but time ran out before the Tigers could seriously unnerve the home team.

Sibir makes it six in a row

Sibir Novosibirsk 5 Traktor Chelyabinsk 2 (2-0, 1-2, 2-0)

Sibir extended its winning streak to six games and opened a 10-point over ninth-placed Admiral as the Siberians look to secure their playoff place. But this game against a Traktor team languishing near the foot of the Eastern Conference was only settled by two late goals after the visitor battled back from 0-2 to tie the game in the second period.

The first frame was all about the host, with Alexander Loginov and Juuso Puustinen getting the goals to put Sibir in control. After the intermission, Sibir dominated more of the play but found itself caught out twice as the visitor hit back. Czech duo Tomas Hyka and Lukas Sedlak both found the net to make it 2-2.

Crucially, though, Traktor could not make it to the intermission with the scores tied. Alexander Sharov restored Sibir’s lead before the interval. The visitor refused to lie down and created several dangerous odd-man rushes in the third, but Yegor Milovzorov struck in the 56^th minute to put the home team 4-2 up. An empty net goal from Dmitry Sayustov finished the job.

Important win for Salavat Yulaev

Salavat Yulaev Ufa 2 Admiral Vladivostok 0 (0-0, 2-0, 0-0)

In Ufa, there were genuine concerns that Salavat Yulaev might not make this season’s playoffs. Nikolai Tsulygin’s team lies eighth in the East and went into this game just three points clear of its opponent.

However, Admiral’s own recent form has been patchy, with just one win in its previous four. The victory, though, was a 5-1 thrashing of Ak Bars.

In the event, the game turned into something of a goaltending duel Juha Metsola and Alexei Krasikov were on top of everything in the first period, but after the intermission the home team upped its offense and began to dominate proceedings. That turned into goals, first Dmitry Kugryshev then Nikita Soshnikov, and the 2-0 margin was enough to take the win. The third period saw Metsola busier again but Admiral could not find a way past the Finn and Ufa moved up one place and enjoys a little more breathing space in that race for the playoffs.

Avto edges past Neftekhimik

Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk 1 Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg 2 SO (0-0, 1-1, 0-0, 0-0, 0-1)

Neftekhimik parted company with captain Stepan Zakharchuk prior to this game, and Vitaly Atyushov, the oldest player to score in the KHL, took over the ‘C’ as the team looked for one last push to get into the playoff picture. However, the change of personnel did not bring a change of fortune as the home team slipped to a fifth loss in six games after going down in a shoot-out.

Neftekhimik had slightly the better of the first period and opened the scoring early in the second thanks to Matt White, but a power play goal from Denis Bodrov tied the game in the 35^th minute. That was the end of the scoring in regulation and overtime saw Avtomobilist frustrated by Neftekhimik’s penalty kill as the game went to a shoot-out. The visitor took the win in the end thanks to successful attempts from fit-again Pavel Datsyuk and his strike partner Georgy Belousov.

Torpedo too strong for Loko again

Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod 3 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 1 (1-0, 0-1, 2-0)

Torpedo defeated its Volga rival for the third time this season, moving ahead of Loko in the table on the back of two goals in the third period here.

The home side was handed a boost with the return to fitness of Anton Volchenkov and Sergei Goncharuk, while Mike Pelino reshaped his roster extensively and left just one line intact from the team that lost in a shoot-out at Barys in its previous outing.

Lokomotiv took the initiative in the first period, leading the shot count 15-7, but it was Torpedo that went in front midway through the frame thanks to a goal from Artyom Alyayev. The second period was almost a mirror image, with Torpedo having the bulk of the attacking play but allowing the only goal of the session when Vladimir Tkachyov scored on the power play in the 31^st minute.

However, the host settled it in the third. Youngster Andrei Belevich made it 2-1 early in the session, potting his sixth goal of the season. Then Goncharuk added a third as 18-year-old Denis Pochivalov got his first KHL point with an assist.

Dadonov on the mark again in Minsk

Dinamo Minsk 4 Spartak Moscow 3 (1-1, 2-1, 1-1)

Dinamo ended a three-game losing streak with victory over Spartak, avenging two heavy losses in the last two meetings between the clubs and ensuring that both teams will finish the season with two wins apiece in their head-to-head meetings.

At the end of a season of struggle, Minsk gave its home fans a boost with an early goal from Igor Martynov, but soon found itself following a familiar script as goals either side of the first intermission saw Spartak move ahead. Ilya Zubov and Robin Hanzl found the net for the visitor.

However, Dinamo hit back to regain the lead going into the second intermission. Shane Prince tied the scores, then Evgeny Dadonov got his second in two games to make it 3-2. The 27-year-old from Vitebsk has a famous namesake, but the Belarusian Dadonov is making the most of a second chance in the KHL, six years after he found himself on the fringes of the national team back in 2013/14.

Alexander Kitarov extended the lead with a short-handed effort early in the third period and Spartak’s efforts to recover proved to be in vein, despite a power play goal from Kaspars Daugavins to reduce the arrears with seven minutes left.

Kazan blunts Dynamo’s offense

Dynamo Moscow 0 Ak Bars Kazan 2 (0-1, 0-0, 0-1)

Dynamo’s rise in the Western Conference relies heavily on the most potent line in the KHL, while Ak Bars leads the East with the best defensive record in that section. On this occasion, though, the immovable object of the visitor’s defense prevailed over the irresistible force of Vadim Shipachyov and Dmitrij Jaskin.

Photo: 21.01.20. KHL Championship 2019-2020. Dynamo (Moscow) - Ak Bars (Kazan)

The key to this win was disciplined defense. Dynamo was limited to just 21 shots on goal and while Jaskin led the way with four of them, he was unable to find a way past Adam Reideborn in the Kazan net. At the other end, Alexander Yeryomenko was beaten early on by Emil Galimov only to be reprieved by the video. Later in the first period, though, there was no way back as Stanislav Galiyev opened the scoring.

The middle frame was goalless, even though the visitor stepped up its offensive play in a bid to keep Dynamo’s dangermen occupied at the other end of the ice. The game was settled in the third when Ak Bars got on the power play and Kirill Petrov got his 10^th goal of the season. Assists came from Justin Azevedo, among the points for the fourth game in a row, and Matt Frattin, recording his 100^th point in the KHL.

Tolchinsky’s double sinks SKA

CSKA Moscow 3 SKA St. Petersburg 2 (0-0, 1-2, 2-0)

Two goals in less than a minute at the start of the third period turned this game around and saw CSKA collect its fourth win in five editions of the Army Derby this season. SKA led 2-1 at the second intermission, but Konstantin Okulov and Sergei Tolchinsky delivered quickfire strikes to see the home team on the way to victory.

Photo: 21.01.20. KHL Championship 2019-2020. CSKA (Moscow) - SKA (St.Petersburg)

The game began with both goalies impressing. The opening frame was goalless largely due to the hard work of Swedish duo Lars Johansson and Magnus Hellberg. The closest we came to a goal was an Andrei Kuzmenko effort that dinged the CSKA crossbar; Evgeny Ketov also fluffed a good chance for the visitor.

Midway through the second period, the opening goal arrived. It was notable for two reasons. First, SKA opened the scoring in an Army derby for the first time this season. Second, it was scored by Vasily Podkolzin, one of the brightest prospects in Russian hockey, who claimed his first goal in the KHL. The session ended with two more goals in quick succession. First, Tolchinsky tied the game with a power play effort, forcing the puck home after a flurry of shots. But almost immediately SKA responded. After allowing a goal on one PK, the visitor scored on its next with Maxim Karpov’s raid restoring the lead 17 seconds before the intermission.

The penalty, of course, continued into the third period and CSKA was able to get its second power play goal of the night when Okulov tied the scores with a shot that bounced in off Lukas Bengtsson’s leg. Within a minute, the home team was ahead. SKA dithered as it tried to clear its zone, Tolchinsky seized the puck and unleashed a deadly shot beyond Hellberg’s glove to take the verdict for the Muscovites.

Barys maintains its winning streak in Finland

Jokerit Helsinki 1 Barys Nur-Sultan 5 (1-1, 0-1, 0-3)

In recent years, Barys has something of a hex on Jokerit. The Kazakhs reeled off five consecutive wins over the Finns since losing 0-2 at home on Feb. 1, 2017. And today’s encounter in Helsinki stretched the streak to six as Andrei Skabelka’s team continues to vie for the lead in the Chernyshev Division.

The final scoreline was emphatic, but it’s fair to note that three late goals took this meeting away from Jokerit. The earlier action was rather more even. Barys got an early lead when Corban Knight redirected a Darren Dietz shot but an even first period ended with Jesse Joensuu tying the scores.

There were few chances in the middle frame, but Nikita Mikhailis found the net to restore the visitor’s lead. Arkady Shestakov made it 3-1 with five to play, scoring a fine individual goal, and further goals from Linus Videll and Dustin Boyd took the final score to 5-1.

Beck gives Avangard victory at Vityaz

Vityaz Moscow Region 1 Avangard Omsk 2 SO (0-1, 1-0, 0-0, 0-0, 0-1)

Taylor Beck got Avangard’s goal in regulation then returned to claim the shoot-out winner as the Hawks stayed level on points with Eastern Conference leader Ak Bars. It’s also eight wins from nine games for Bob Hartley’s team, which is hitting a good run of form as the season nears the closing stretch.

Photo: 21.01.20. KHL Championship 2019-2020. Vityaz (Moscow Region) - Avangard (Omsk)

Beck’s opener flew into the net off his skate in the last second of an unusual opening period. Avangard dominated the stats: it topped the shot count 11-1 and had a 22-4 advantage in attempts, but the teams had an almost equal share of possession. The home team might even have taken the lead when Alexander Semin was denied by the post, instead it fell behind when Beck’s goal was awarded after a video review.

Vityaz responded early in the second through Pekka Jormakka but Ilya Ezhov made several big saves to keep his team on level terms. And it stayed that way until the shoot-out moved into its sudden death phase. Semin had two attempts for the host and scored one, Beck tried twice for Avangard and succeeded both times.

Sochi edges valuable win in Riga

Dinamo Riga 1 HC Sochi 2 (0-1, 0-0, 1-0, 0-1)

Dinamo ended a two-game scoring blank to pick up a point at home to playoff chasing HC Sochi, but the Latvians fell in overtime as the Leopards kept their hopes of a top-eight finish alive.

Sochi can afford few slips in the closing weeks of the season if it is to make up an eight-point gap to the playoff places, but the visitor made a sluggish start in Riga. Dinamo shaded the first period in most areas, but still allowed the only goal of the frame when Dmitry Lugin scored midway through.

The middle frame was dominated by Dinamo, outshooting Sochi 17-4. The host was helped by a string of minor penalties, but suffered a blow late in the session when Andris Dzerins was assessed a game misconduct penalty. Dinamo then killed two penalties early in the third before Alexander Protapovich conjured an equalizer and took the game into overtime.

The extras were brief, though. Sochi started on the front foot and Swedish defenseman David Rundblad fired home the winner after 43 seconds. It was the former SKA man’s first goal since his move to Sochi.

In lonely game of the day Kunlun Red Star will host Amur for the second night in a row.

14:30 Kunlun Red Star (24-21-7) – Amur (18-23-8)

About the game

Kunlun Red Star is coming into this contest on a 2-game winning streak.

Amur is coming into this contest on a 8-game losing streak.

Kunlun Red Star defeated Amur this season by 3-2, 4-2 scores and lost 2-3.

Injury list

Kunlun Red Star: David Bondra, Brayden Jaw, Alex Riche.

Amur: Tomas Zohorna, Nikita Kamalov, Maxim Kondratyev.

One year ago, during the 2019 All-Star Game in Kazan, the KHL, for the first time, used the new smart pucks technology. KHL.ru tells about the players' achievements during the FONBET 2020 KHL All-Star Game in Moscow.

On Jan. 19 in Moscow, the fourth tournament between the four Divisions teams took place. The winner was Team Bobrov, defeating Team Tarasov in the finals.

The system keeps on advancing, and this season more stats than ever are recorded. Some of the latest additions include advanced stats like Corsi For, Corsi Against, Fenwick, and PDO – all of them calculated in real-time.

Poryadin confirms his speed

Neftekhimik's forward Pavel Poryadin is continuously among the leaders for recorded speed. Quite unsurprisingly, he stopped the speedo at the highest values in the Skill Show – 37.2 km/h (23.12 mph). However, he didn't win the fastest skater relay.

Last year, during the tournament, Barys' Roman Starchenko reached 37.1 km/h (23.05 mph)– unmatched this year in in-game conditions. The best result in 2020 belongs to Starchenko's teammate in Nur-Sultan Darren Dietz with 33 km/h (20.50 mph).

Lehtonen breaks records

However, players set new records with regards to the hardest shot in in-game conditions. Last year, forward Mark Verba, representing the Tarasov Division and Vityaz's junior team in the JHL, shot the puck at 115.5 km/h (71.58 mph). This time around, this result was topped by seven players, with Jokerit's Mikko Lehtonen leading the way with 143.4 km/h (89.10 mph). With this shot, Lehtonen scored his second goal of the final game.

Naturally, one of the most intriguing moments of the bronze medal game was Linus Omark and Juha Metsola swapping places for Team Chernyshyov. Metsola's hardest shot recorded 79.9 km/h (49.65 mph), while Omark had to face a 104.6 km/h (64.99 mph) shot from Vyacheslav Voynov.

Hietanen's accurate passes

If talking about the distance run, no one can match Darren Dietz– he ran for two games totaling 6,112 meters. Vityaz's Alex Semin leads among forwards with 4,772 meters, while Spartak's Yakov Rylov had 1,295 with the puck.

In the passing accuracy category, no one could match Dynamo Moscow's Juuso Hietanen as 21 of 22 passes found a teammate. Yegor Chinakhov has also had only one mistake, delivering 15 from 16 pass attempts. The leader in passes distance is Traktor's D-Man Nick Bailen, with 320 meters, who also leads in passes distance toward the crease, with 183 meters.

Kunlun Red Star 4 Amur Khabarovsk 2 (0-1,2-1, 2-0)

For the second time in 24 hours, Red Star defeated Amur by a 4-2 scoreline. The loss is Amur’s ninth in succession, leaving the Khabarovsk team rooted to the foot of the Eastern Conference. For the Dragons, meanwhile, a third straight victory gives Curt Fraser’s team some breathing space in sixth place. Kunlun is eight points clear of ninth-placed Admiral in the race for a playoff spot but, after playing 53 games, has significantly fewer left than any other team in the East.

Wednesday’s meeting saw Amur jump to a 2-0 lead on the strength of two power play goals. Dmitry Korobov opened the scoring in the seventh minute and Alexander Gorshkov extended the lead early in the second period. However, Red Star responded to tie the game before the second intermission. Luke Lockhart got his 10^th of the season and Gilbert Brule followed up yesterday’s goal with another power play effort to make it 2-2.

The home team pushed for the win in the third period but needed some patience to get the breakthrough. Finally, Adam Cracknell gave the Dragons the lead for the first time with five minutes left. That was Cracknell’s ninth of the season and number 10 came soon afterwards when he found the empty net to seal the home win.

For several players, the FONBET 2020 KHL All-Star Game was a great chance to rest and boost their season's production.

Linus Omark

F, Salavat Yulaev, 1 (0+1) point, +1, 20:34 TOI

This time, the Swedish forward didn't stop pucks, but actively participated to Salavat Yulaev's win over Admiral just two days after the All-Star game itself. In the second period, with Ufa up by one goal, the team's first line had a great scoring chance when Linus Omark had the puck on his blade. Limpa then sent the puck to Teemu Hartikainen, who tried to go between-the-legs. His attempt was stopped, but Nikita Soshnikov got the rebound and scored. The goal – whose play was started by Omark's stick – sealed the deal as Salavat Yulaev got two important points and surpassed Metallurg in the Eastern Conference standings.

Juha Metsola

G, Salavat Yulaev, 1.000%, 0.00 GAA, 27 saves

Admiral isn't an easy client this year, especially now that they are trying hard to reach the playoffs, but the Finnish netminder disarmed Vladivostok's attempt and earned his fourth shutout in the season. Juha Metsola is having yet another fantastic season and is in the top ten for shutouts – it will hard to catch up Ak Bars' Timur Bilyalov, but he can still climb up in the rankings. This year, it will be Metsola's third postseason participation, and if he repeats last year's performance, it will be tough to score goals against Salavat Yulaev.

Darren Dietz

D, Barys, 1 (0+1) points, +1, 22:51 TOI

After playing Pushkin in Moscow, Darren Dietz moved north to Helsinki, where Barys had a fantastic 5-1 win over Jokerit. Dietz naturally contributed to his team's win – his shot from the point after only three minutes was deflected by Corban Knight for Barys' go-ahead goal. Mikko Lehtonen also had an assist in Jokerit's lone goal of the night. Dietz patrolled the blue line for Nur-Sultan, and lead the team in distance run, trailing only to Jesse Blacker for time on the ice. The victory in Helsinki was an important win for Barys, which is now the third seed in the Eastern Conference with a four-point gap over Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg.

Jyrki Jokipakka

D, Sibir, 2 (0+2) points, +2, 22:14 TOI

Jyrki Jokipakka, the fresh winner of the hardest shot contest at the FONBET 2020 KHL All-Star Game, was one of the best in Sibir's 5-2 home win over Traktor Chelyabinsk. The Finn blueliner posted two assists – one for each of the first two periods – and was one of the most-iced players for Novosibirsk. He first contributed to Juuso Puustinen's 2-0 goal in the first period. Then, in the middle stanza, Jokipakka assisted Alexander Sharov's eleventh of the season that eventually turned into the game-winner for Sibir. Novosibirsk is having a tremendous season – the team is currently the fifth seed of the Eastern Conference.

Brandon Yip

F, Kunlun Red Star, 2 G, 4 (0+4) points, even, 20:10 TOI

After helping Team Chernyshev winning bronze in Moscow, the Chinese franchise's captain had a hat-trick of assists in Kunlun's 4-2 win over Amur in Beijing on Tuesday. The next day the teams clashed again, the score was the same, and this time Brandon Yip assisted Gilbert Brule's 2-2 goal in the second period. The forward, at his third season in the League, had a point per period, and is now at 27 (13+14) points this year, on pace to at least equal last year's 36-point campaign. Yip's strong performance helped Kunlun Red Star earning two points and being the Eastern Conference's sixth seed – ahead of teams like Salavat Yulaev and Metallurg – is an excellent result for the Chinese franchise.

Another SKA attempt to get playoff spot, the fifth Green Derby of the season.

SKA will clinch playoff spot, if SKA defeats Barys in any fashion AND Sochi loses in regular time.

17:00 Avtomobilist (28-14-7) – Traktor (20-26-5)

About the game

Traktor is coming into this contest fresh off a loss.

Avtomobilist defeated Traktor three times by 3-0, 5-3, 4-2 scores.

Sedlak has points in 3 straight games, going 1-2-3 over that span.

Hyka has points in 4 straight games, going 6-1-7 over that span.

Injury list

Avtomobilist: Alexander Kucheryavenko, Nikolai Stasenko

Traktor: Sergei Konkov, Artyom Mikheyev, Nikita Shcherbak

Milestone alert

Traktor forward Alexander Avtsin is set to play his 200th KHL game (currently at 199).

Traktor forward Anton Glinkin is hoping to score his 100th KHL goal (currently at 99).

19:00 Lokomotiv (26-19-4) – CSKA (36-10-4)

About the game

Lokomotiv is coming into this contest on a 3-game losing streak.

CSKA is coming into this contest on a 3-game winning streak.

CSKA twice defeated Lokomotiv this season by 5-2, 4-3 OT scores.

Kaprizov has points in 8 straight games, going 6-7-13 over that span.

Okulov has points in 3 straight games, going 4-1-5 over that span.

Slepyshev has points in 8 straight games, going 6-6-12 over that span.

Shalunov has points in 4 straight games, going 1-4-5 over that span.

Injury list

Lokomotiv: Alexander Svitov.

CSKA: Andrei Svelakov, Jiri Sekac, Ivan Telegin.

19:30 Ak Bars (33-11-4) – Salavat Yulaev (24-19-6)

About the game

Both teams are coming into this contest fresh off a win.

Ak Bars twice defeated Salavat this season by 4-3 SO, 2-1 scores and twice lost by 1-3, 3-4 OT scores.

Reideborn has 60:00 minutes of shutout hockey.

Azevedo has points in 4 straight games, going 2-2-4 over that span.

Metsola has 61:52 minutes of shutout hockey.

Salavat captain Grigory Panin will sit out his last game of suspension.

Injury list

Ak Bars: Andrei Pedan, Viktor Tikhonov, Mikhail Fisenko.

Salavat: Eduard Gimatov.

19:30 Avangard (32-12-6) – HC Sochi (20-22-8)

About the game

Avangard is coming into this contest on a 5-game winning streak.

Sochi is coming into this contest fresh off a win.

Sochi defeated Avangard this season by 4-3 OT score.

Voynov has points in 3 straight games, going 0-5-5 over that span.

Injury list

Avangard: Alexei Bondarev, Alexei Emelin, Alexander Sudnitsin, Maxim Chudinov.

Sochi: Pavel Makarenko, Malte Stromwall, Artyom Tomilin, Dmitry Shikin, Nikita Shchitov.

Milestone alert

Avangard forward Alexei Potapov is set to play his 400th KHL regular season game (currently at 399).

19:30 Dynamo Moscow (29-15-7) – Vityaz (24-17-8)

About the game

Dynamo Moscow is coming into this contest on a 3-game losing streak.

Vityaz is coming into this contest fresh off a loss.

Vityaz defeated Dynamo this season by 4-1 score.

Vityaz’ last win against Dynamo on the road happened September 4, 2015 by 3-2 score.

Vityaz forward Evgeny Artyukhin will sit out third game of his 4-game suspension.

Injury list

Dynamo: Sergei Boikov, Kirill Lyamin.

Vityaz: Alexander Shevchenko.

Milestone alert

Dynamo forward Vadim Shipachyov is hoping to collect his 650th KHL point (currently at 648).

Dynamo forward Daniil Apalkov is hoping to collect his 200th KHL point (currently at 199).

Vityaz forward Alexei Byvaltsev is hoping to collect his 100th KHL point (currently at 99).

19:30 SKA (32-13-5) – Barys (30-13-7)

About the game

SKA is coming into this contest fresh off a loss.

Barys is coming into this contest on a 4-game winning streak.

SKA won last 8 games against Barys including this season contest by 6-2 score.

Barys has never won in St. Petersburg.

Injury list

SKA: Alexander Barabanov, Anton Burdasov

Barys: Iiro Pakarinen

Milestone alert

SKA forward Ilya Kablukov is set to play his 700th KHL game (currently at 699).

19:30 Spartak (27-15-8) – Severstal (18-22-10)

About the game

Both teams are coming into this contest fresh off a loss.

Spartak twice defeated Severstal this season by 3-2 SO, 2-1 scores and lost once 2-3.

Daugavins has points in 5 straight games, going 4-3-7 over that span.

Rylov has points in 3 straight games, going 0-3-3 over that span.

Injury list

Spartak: Evgeny Kulik, Alexander Nikishin.

Severstal: Daniil Vovchenko, Igor Geraskin.

Milestone alert

Spartak defenseman Tobias Viklund is set to play his 300th KHL game (currently at 299).

19:30 Jokerit (29-13-7) – Admiral (23-22-3)

About the game

Jokerit is coming into this contest on a 2-game losing streak.

Admiral is coming into this contest on a 3-game losing streak.

Admiral defeated Jokerit this season by 3-2 SO score.

Admiral has never won in Helsinki.

Admiral’s defenseman Shawn Lalonde will sit out last game of his suspension.

Injury list

Jokerit: Henri Ikonen, Oliver Lauridsen.

Admiral: Grigory Zheldakov, Juho Olkinuora.

Milestone alert

Jokerit forward Petri Kontiola is looking to collect his 250th KHL assist (currently at 249).

Jokerit defenseman Tommy Kivisto is set to play his 300th KHL game (currently at 299).

Admiral forward Konstantin Glazachev is hoping to gain his 300th KHL point (currently at 298).

Admiral forward Alexander Streltsov is aiming to collect his 100th KHL point (currently at 99).

Sporting Disciplinary Committee investigated events from the following games:

Kunlun Red Star – Amur

Game Time: 52:11

The Committee examined the incident which led to Amur defenseman Maxim Ignatovich receiving a game misconduct penalty under the p. 1.31. of the art. 27 of the KHL Disciplinary Regulations. After studying the incident, the Committee supported the decision of the referee and imposed on Ignatovich a two-game ban and a fine.

Dinamo Riga – Sochi

Game Time: 39:25

The Committee examined the incident which led to Dinamo Riga forward Andris Dzerins receiving a game misconduct penalty under the p. 1.31. of the art. 27 of the KHL Disciplinary Regulations. After studying the incident, the Committee supported the decision of the referee and imposed on Dzerins a two-game ban and a fine.

Vityaz – Avangard

Game Time: 43:03

The Committee examined the incident which led to Avangard forward Brandon McMillan receiving a game misconduct penalty under the p. 1.3.2. of the art. 27 of the KHL Disciplinary Regulations. After studying the incident, the Committee supported the decision of the referee and imposed on McMillan a two-game ban and a fine.

SKA’s youngsters caught the eye again as a 7-4 win over Barys confirmed the Army Men a place in the playoffs. Ak Bars, meanwhile, needed a shoot-out to defeat Salavat Yulaev and hold on to first place in the Eastern Conference. Avangard is close behind in second; its 5-2 win over Sochi has the frontrunners level on 72 points. Sami Lepisto was the hero of Jokerit’s last-gasp win against Admiral after the defenseman tied the game at 3-3 with 26 seconds left then returned to get the winner in overtime. Brooks Macek became the KHL’s most effective German, scoring twice to go to 39 points for the season as Avtomobilist won 4-1 against Traktor. There were 3-0 wins from CSKA and Spartak, fellow Muscovites Dynamo got a 3-1 verdict.

Macek sets scoring record

Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg 4 Traktor Chelyabinsk 1 (2-0, 0-1, 2-0)

Avtomobilist proved too strong for a Traktor team struggling at the foot of the Eastern Conference as Thursday’s program began with a comfortable home win in Yekaterinburg.

In the first period, Avtomobilist took control of the game thanks to two goals from Brooks Macek. The German international took his tally to 39 (20+19) points for season and established a new record for the most productive KHL season by a player from Germany. Felix Schutz previously tallied 38 points for Admiral in 2014.

Macek also has a Canadian passport, and it was another Canadian dual national, Belarusian international Nick Bailen, who got the only goal of second period. The Traktor defenseman got his chance after fine work from Lukas Sedlak and Tomas Hyka, the visitor’s Czech forwards, who extended their productive streaks to four and five games respectively.

But they couldn’t spark a fightback for Traktor. Instead, Avtomobilist extended its lead. Macek came close to getting his third of the night early in the frame, but in the end there were late goals from Alexei Vasilevsky and Geoff Platt to make the final score 4-1. This was Avto’s fifth win in sixth games; the Motormen move ever closer to a top-four finish in the East.

Sorokin blanks Loko

Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 0 CSKA Moscow 3 (0-0, 0-1, 0-2)

Eighth-placed Lokomotiv entertained Western Conference leader CSKA in what could be a preview of a first-round playoff meeting. The teams had met twice before this season, with the Army Men winning both, but there was a stark contrast between the 5-2 success back in September and the shoot-out verdict just before the New Year.

Today’s game produced a scoreline reminiscent of the first encounter between the teams this season, but the balance of play told a different story. Ilya Sorokin was CSKA’s key player, making 31 saves to record his sixth shut-out of the season. He also moves level with Vasily Koshechkin in second place in the all-time KHL chart. The visitor never had things its own way but managed to break the deadlock just before the second intermission thanks to a goal from Maxim Shalunov.

The third period saw Lokomotiv push forward in search of a tying goal but could not take its chances. Sorokin’s best stop of the night came on the PK when Yegor Averin suddenly broke through one-on-one, only to be denied. Eventually the Railwaymen were undone at the other end. Anton Slepyshev’s one-timer made it 2-0 late in the game and an empty net tally from Shalunov gave him two goals and confirmed two points for his team.

Spartak outlasts Severstal

Spartak Moscow 3 Severstal Cherepovets 0 (0-0, 0-0, 3-0)

A third-period flourish saw Spartak claim the win over Severstal, bouncing back from Tuesday’s defeat in Minsk.

Photo: 23.01.20. KHL Championship 2019-2020. Spartak (Moscow) - Severstal (Cherepovets)

In the first two periods the Red-and-Whites had control of the game, but despite out-shooting the visitor 22-10 the home team had no goals to show for its efforts. Young goalie Dmitry Shugayev kept Severstal in the game, much to the frustration of the home crowd.

But the 21-year-old could not hold out forever. Artyom Fyodorov opened the scoring at the start of the third then added a penalty shot to take the game away from Severstal. Ansel Galimov, who began this season in Cherepovets, added a third in the 46^th minute; three goals in less than five minutes put the result beyond doubt. Home goalie Nikita Bespalov made 12 further saves in the final stanza to secure his shut-out.

Ak Bars edges the latest Green Derby

Ak Bars Kazan 3 Salavat Yulaev Ufa 2 SO (0-0, 2-2, 0-0, 0-0, 1-0)

Once again, these two Eastern Conference rivals produced an absorbing battle. For both teams, there was a lot at stake. In Ufa, a playoff place is far from certain and every point counts as Nikolai Tsulygin’s team looks to keep clear of the chasing pack. In Kazan, meanwhile, top spot in the East is the prize, with Dmitry Kvartalnov’s men facing a dogfight with Avangard to secure first place in the Conference.

Photo: 23.01.20. KHL Championship 2019-2020. Ak Bars (Kazan) - Salavat Yulaev (Ufa)

The home team had the better of the first period, but could not find the net. Worse, it went into the intermission a man down after Kristian Khenkel’s high stick late in the session. After the break, Salavat Yulaev duly took advantage, with Teemu Hartikainen opening the scoring.

Back came Ak Bars. A home power play saw Stanislav Galiyev tie the scores, then Albert Yarullin made it 2-1 just before the half-hour mark. But Ufa wasn’t done and Pavel Koledov’s goal sent the teams back to the locker rooms with the scores tied at 2-2.

A fast-paced third period saw the home team enjoy the better of the play but fail to find a winning goal. Overtime, too, could not separate the rivals and the shoot-out, like the game itself, ebbed and flowed. Salavat Yulaev led through Sakari Manninen, Galiyev tied it up with his team’s last chance and then sudden death saw Justin Azevedo decide it in Kazan’s favor.

Avangard hits back to down Sochi

Avangard Omsk 5 HC Sochi 2 (0-1, 1-1, 4-0)

Sochi blew a 2-0 lead and suffered a loss that dents its prospects of getting into the playoff places. With eighth-placed Lokomotiv losing today, a win for the Leopards would have cut the gap to six points, but defeat keeps the Southern team eight points adrift.

Photo: 23.01.20. KHL Championship 2019-2020. Avangard (Omsk) - HC Sochi (Sochi)

Avangard, meanwhile, keeps pace with Ak Bars at the top of the Eastern Conference after blasting four unanswered goals in the third period to turn this one around in emphatic fashion. The Hawks were in trouble midway through this game after goals from Vladislav Kaletnik and Nikita Tochitsky put the visitor up. At the other end, Ivan Nalimov was performing strongly against one of his former clubs and a frustrating evening was in the offing.

However, Roman Manukhov solved the goalie in the 34^th minute and from that point on the balance of the game shifted. Avangard gained extra belief from the defenseman’s first tally of the campaign, and that paid off in the third period. Artyom Manukyan tied the scores in the 50^th minute, the highly-rated youngster finding the net in only his second KHL appearance of the season.

Pavel Dedunov made it 3-2 in the 55^th minute, assisted by Manukhov, and 30 seconds later Rob Klinkhammer added a fourth to put the game beyond Sochi. The visitor called a time-out but it was too late to change the momentum. Sergei Shumakov completed the scoring into the empty net.

Young guns impress as SKA books a playoff place

SKA St. Petersburg 7 Barys Nur-Sultan 4 (1-0, 2-3, 4-1)

SKA joins CSKA in confirming its playoff place thanks to this win and Sochi’s loss at Avangard. But the Petersburg team had to battle hard before overcoming a Barys side looking for a strong finish in the East.

Not for the first time this season, SKA’s youngsters were the talk of the tribunes. Ivan Morozov opened the scoring in the fourth minute off a feed from Kirill Marchenko, Vasily Podkolzin potted his second goal in successive games to tie it up at 3-3 and 22-year-old Vasily Glotov scored his second of the season in the second period.

However, Barys tested SKA in the middle frame, coming from behind twice and leading 3-2 at one point thanks to goals from Curtis Valk and Nikita Mikhailis (2). However, SKA found an extra gear in the final frame and two goals from Nail Yakupov, one from a penalty shot, and further tallies from Jori Lehtera and Andrei Kuzmenko secured a comfortable win.

Dynamo gets first win in four

Dynamo Moscow 3 Vityaz Moscow Region 1 (0-0, 1-0, 2-1)

Dynamo left it late to overcome Vityaz and snap its three-game losing streak. Vityaz, meanwhile, missed the chance to strengthen its position just inside the playoff places when it allowed two goals in the last four minutes and slipped to its third loss in four games.

After a goalless first period, the KHL’s leading scorer Vadim Shipachyov opened the scoring with a power play goal in the 25^th minute. However, Vityaz responded early in the third when Quinton Howden tied the scores. It remained level until the 57^th minute when Michal Cajkovsky grabbed what turned out to be the winning goal. Miks Indrasis sealed it with an empty-net effort, assisted by Shipachyov.

Lepisto’s late show sinks Admiral

Jokerit Helsinki 4 Admiral Vladivostok 3 OT (1-1, 1-1, 1-1, 1-0)

Jokerit grabbed an overtime victory at home to the Sailors, leaving Admiral ruing its inability to hold a lead. The visitor came here in search of points to increase the pressure on the teams in the Eastern Conference playoff places, and was 26 seconds away from leaving with the win in regulation.

However, Sami Lepisto shattered that scenario, tying the game in the last minute as he scored Jokerit’s third equalizer of the night. And the Finnish defenseman went on to grab that overtime winner, compounding the visitor’s woes.

Earlier, the teams traded goals. In the first period, Oleg Lomako put Admiral in front, but the lead lasted less than a minute before Mika Niemi tied the scores. The 31-year-old forward got his first goal of the season in his 27^th game. The middle session followed a similar pattern, with Ivan Silayev restoring Admiral’s lead. This time, Peter Regin missed a great chance to tie it up almost immediately but found the target four minutes later while Adam Almqvist sat for slashing.

In the third, Markus Ljungh made it 3-2 to Admiral with 11 minutes left. This time, it looked like it would be enough for the visitor, but Lepisto’s later intervention changed all that.

There, Neftekhimik looks to end its 6-game homestand on a strong note after three straight losses. At the same time, Torpedo is obviously hoping to conclude its 4-game homestand against Metallurg with its 4th straight victory.

19:00: Neftekhimik (20-21-8) vs Sibir (27-17-5)

About the game

Neftekhimik is playing the 6th of six straight home games.

Sibir is playing the 1st of three straight road games.

Neftekhimik is coming into this contest on a 3-game losing streak.

Sibir is coming into this contest on an impressive 6-game winning streak.

Sibir defeated Neftekhimik earlier this season by a score of 4-2, but also lost twice to them by scores of 2-1, once in overtime.

White has points in 3 straight games, going 1-2-3 over that span.

Ruohomaa has points in 4 straight games, going 1-6-7 over that span.

Injury list

Neftekhimik: Zach Mitchell, Andrei Sergeyev, Bulat Shafigullin

Sibir: Oleg Piganovich

Milestone alert

Forward Juuso Puustinen is hoping to suit up for his 100th career KHL game (currently at 99).

Defenseman Alexander Loginov is hoping to collect his 100th career KHL assist (currently at 99).

19:00: Torpedo (26-20-4) vs Metallurg (23-19-7)

About the game

Torpedo is playing the 4th of four straight home games.

Metallurg is playing the 3rd of four straight road games.

Torpedo is coming into this game on a 3-game winning streak.

Metallurg is coming into this game on a 2-game losing streak.

Torpedo defeated Metallurg earlier this season by an overtime score of 3-2.

Bocharov has points in 3 straight games, going 2-2-4 over that span.

Milestone alert

Forward Sergei Mozyakin is hoping to score his 400th career KHL goal (currently has 399).

The regular season is on the final lap – and for most of the 24 teams in the KHL, that means a battle for position in the playoffs.

As January comes towards its end, our teams have about 12 games each left to play and so far not one club is mathematically out of the running for a top-eight finish. True, there are teams whose chances are so remote as to be unrealistic: in the Western Conference Dinamo Minsk and Dinamo Riga would need an unprecedented upswing in form, winning all their remaining games while hoping that at least one of Torpedo, Vityaz or Lokomotiv failed to pick up more than one point. Nonetheless, with little over one month until the end of the regular season, there’s plenty of playoff intrigue to look forward to in the coming weeks.

Big names in peril

Salavat Yulaev and Metallurg Magnitogorsk have a proud record. Neither team has missed a KHL playoff in the 11 seasons since the league was founded. But this time around, both teams are in danger with Admiral and Neftekhimik ready to pounce on any slip-up in the run-in.

Magnitka, currently eighth in the East, has just a three-point advantage over ninth-placed Admiral as it goes into Friday’s game at Torpedo. A slow start to the campaign cost head coach Josef Jandac his job and put Ilya Vorobyov back behind the bench in Magnitogorsk. Last time that happened, in 2015/16, Vorobyov was promoted from within to take over from Mike Keenan– and went on to lift the Gagarin Cup. This time, though, Vorobyov came from outside the locker room and he has found it harder to find the winning formula. Metallurg has more losses than wins this season (26 vs 23) and has struggled to put together a streak that can lift it up the table to a more comfortable position.

In Ufa, meanwhile, Nikolai Tsulygin is in a familiar situation. Last season, too, Salavat Yulaev failed to impress in the regular season. Eventually the team finished in sixth in the East, but rarely defeated the league’s top teams. Today, the pride of Bashkortostan is in seventh place with 55 points from 50 games. That’s five better than Admiral, having played a game more. While the team’s top line – Omark-Soshnikov-Hartikainen– has been prolific once again, there hasn’t always been a lot of scoring depth. And defensively, only Philip Larsen’s 28 points have made a significantly contribution from the blue line. Last season, Tsulygin made his reputation as a coach by steering his team to the Conference final; this season he is still unsure of a place in post season.

Red Star rising?

Another big question from the East – will Kunlun Red Star make the playoffs for only the second time in the club’s history? The Chinese franchise is currently sixth in the Eastern Conference and enjoys a seven-point lead over Admiral in ninth. Curt Fraser’s team has 25 wins in total this season, just three fewer than the 28 victories in its debut season and significantly more than either of the past two campaigns. Mid-season acquisitions Devante Smith-Pelly and Hunter Shinkaruk have started to contribute to the offense and a current three-game winning streak means there’s plenty of confidence around the organization.

However, there remains one concern. The Dragons have played 53 games so far, more than any other team in the league. Admiral, the team trying to close the gap, has four games in hand worth potentially eight points – enough to close that gap. However, the Sailors are on a skid, having lost their last four games, and the team has been hampered by the loss of injured goalie Juha Olkinuora. With the Eastern Conference so tight this season, there are sure to be more twists and turns before the deal is done.

Tight title race

The battle to finish top of the Eastern Conference is also going all the way. There’s no doubt that Ak Bars and Avangard will clinch their playoff spots in due course, but the 2018 champion and the 2019 finalist are in a showdown to secure first place.

Currently the teams are level on points, with Ak Bars leading by virtue of one more win in regulation. Dmitry Kvartalnov’s team also has two games in hand on Bob Hartley’s boys. However, the teams still have to meet twice – on Feb. 11 and Feb. 18 – and those key clashes look set to be decisive.

Two through in the West

In the West, two teams have already booked their playoff places. To nobody’s great surprise, CSKA and SKA are out in front once again and the Army Clubs are already mathematically assured of a top eight finish.

Even the race to be crowned regular season champion seems fairly clear. CSKA, which won everything last season, is seven points clear of SKA. The teams will meet once more on Feb. 25 in Moscow, but Igor Nikitin has maintained his advantage in head-to-head match-ups with SKA, winning four out of five games so far this season. He seems set to lead the Muscovites to the top of the table for the fifth time in six seasons.

Sochi’s hopes fade

If the race to secure a playoff place in the East is a battle for several teams, in the West it looks like the current top eight are likely to progress. HC Sochi is the closest challenger, but the ninth-placed Leopards are eight points adrift and have played a game more than their closest rivals. Severstal, similarly, are one place and two points further back. With just one victory in its last four games, Sochi shows few signs of producing the kind of form needed to turn that around – but there is still a glimmer of hope in the struggles at Lokomotiv, currently on a four-game losing streak in eighth place.

Jockeying for position

Loko is one of three clubs level on 56 points going into Friday’s program. The Railwaymen, along with Vityaz and Torpedo, face a three-way fight to secure sixth place. Why does it matter? Well, seventh and eighth will face daunting first-round opposition in the form of CSKA and SKA, who seem destined to occupy the top two spots. But the team in sixth will get a series against one of Dynamo Moscow, Jokerit or Spartak. All three are dangerous opponents, but all three have shown this season that they can be beaten.

At present, Torpedo leads the way thanks to its 19 wins in regulation and David Nemirovsky’s team can build on that advantage tonight when it takes on Metallurg in Nizhny Novgorod. There’s also a key fixture coming up on Jan. 30 when Torpedo goes to Yaroslavl to face Lokomotiv. However, three further defining games will see Loko face Vityaz in the run-in. The teams meet tomorrow in Podolsk, with the visitor eager to end that four-game skid, before renewing hostilities again in Yaroslavl on Feb. 18 and back in Podolsk on Feb. 25.

If the playoffs were tomorrow

Based on the current league table, the first-round playoff pairs would currently be as follows:

Western Conference

CSKA Moscow vs Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
SKA St. Petersburg vs Vityaz Moscow Region
Dynamo Moscow vs Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod
Jokerit Helsinki vs Spartak Moscow

Eastern Conference

Ak Bars Kazan vs Metallurg Magnitogorsk
Avangard Omsk vs Salavat Yulaev Ufa
Barys Nur-Sultan vs Kunlun Red Star
Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg vs Sibir Novosibirsk

Sergei Mozyakin scored his 400^th goal in the KHL – the first player to reach that milestone – as Metallurg won 3-1 at Torpedo. In Friday’s other fixture, a strong first period performance from Neftekhimik brought an abrupt halt to Sibir’s six-game winning run.

Mozyakin’s big moment sets up Metallurg win

Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod 1 Metallurg Magnitogorsk 3 (0-2, 1-0, 0-1)

Metallurg forward Sergei Mozyakin reached another milestone in a glittering career tonight as he became the first player to score 400 goals in the KHL. The visitor’s captain struck in the fourth minute of this game to open the scoring and claim his 12^th of the current campaign.

Photo: 24.01.20. KHL Championship 2019-2020. Torpedo (Nizhny Novgorod) - Metallurg (Magnitogorsk)

This goal was typical of Mozyakin’s predatory instincts. Sloppy defense from Torpedo saw the puck bouncing around the home zone; Mozyakin was alert to the situation and got there first as it dropped to between the hash marks for him to slot it home.

The visitor, looking for a win to give it some breathing space in the tight battle for a playoff place in the East, extended its lead in the 13^th minute thanks to Bogdan Potekhin. The forward emerged from the penalty box, collected the puck and beat Anders Lindbak in a one-on-one to double the advantage.

Torpedo hit back in the second period as Viktor Shakhvorostov potted only his second KHL goal. However, hopes of another fightback from the home team were hampered when Andrej Nestrasil made it 3-1 early in the final frame and Metallurg was able to close out the win.

First-frame flourish sinks Sibir

Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk 6 Sibir Novosibirsk 3 (5-1, 1-1, 0-1)

Neftekhimik’s powerful first period performance brought Sibir’s winning streak to a crunching halt and boosted the home team’s hopes of forcing its way into the playoff picture.

Sibir came here on the back of six straight victories but lost all hope of extending that run when it allowed five goals without reply inside 17 minutes. Jacob Berglund started the rout, then we saw four goals in five minutes as Pavel Kulikov (2), Jonas Enlund and Zack Mitchell took the game away from the visitor.

Harri Sateri was pulled from the Sibir net after the second goal, but he was back in place at the start of the second period after Alexei Krasikov also struggled to stop the puck. There was some better news for Sibir as Mikhail Romayev scored either side of the first intermission, but even those two strikes – his first in the KHL – were sandwiched by a sixth goal for Neftekhimik as Marat Khairullin converted a 5-on-3 power play.

In the final frame, Sibir had the better of the game but simply had too much ground to make up. An early Juuso Puustinen goal raised some faint hopes for the visitor, but Neftekhimik closed out the win to keep its playoff hopes alive.

All in all, seven games are on tap with a ton of teams looking to keep their winning streaks intact or finally end a few nasty losing streaks.

14:30: Salavat (24-19-7) vs Barys (30-14-7)

About the game

Salavat is on a 1-game homestand.

Barys is playing the 3rd of four straight road games.

Salavat is coming into this contest having lost its last game.

Barys is also coming into this contest having lost its last game.

Barys has defeated Salavat twice this season by scores of 2-1 and 5-3.

Knight has points in 3 straight games, going 3-1-4 over that span.

Videll has points in 3 straight games, going 2-3-5 over that span.

Injury list

Salavat: Eduard Gimatov

Barys: Iiro Pakarinen

Milestone alert

Defenseman Philip Larsen is hoping to suit up for his 300th career KHL game (currently at 299).

15:00: Avtomobilist (29-14-7) vs Ak Bars (34-11-4)

About the game

Avtomobilist is playing the 2nd of four straight home games.

Ak Bars is playing the 1st of three straight road games.

Avtomobilist is coming into this contest on a 3-game winning streak.

Ak Bars is coming into this contest on a 2-game winning streak.

Ak Bars has defeated Avtomobilist twice this season by scores of 3-1 and 6-1.

Belousov has points in 3 straight games, going 0-4-4 over that span.

Reideborn pitched a shutout in his last outing.

Frattin has points in 3 straight games, going 3-0-3 over that span.

Injury list

Avtomobilist: Nikolai Stasenko, Alexander Kucheryavenko, Stepan Khripunov

Ak Bars: Andrei Pedan, Viktor Tikhonov, Mikhail Fisenko

17:00: Spartak Moscow (28-15-8) vs Traktor (20-27-5)

About the game

Spartak Moscow is playing the 2nd of six straight home games.

Traktor is playing the 4th of four straight road games.

Spartak Moscow is coming into this game having won its last game.

Traktor is also coming into this game having lost its last two games.

Spartak Moscow defeated Traktor earlier this season by a score of 5-2.

Bespalov has played 84:58 straight minutes of shutout hockey.

Rylov has points in 4 straight games, going 4-0-4 over that span.

Sedlak has points in 4 straight games, going 1-3-4 over that span.

Hyka has points in 5 straight games, going 2-6-8 over that span.

Injury list

Spartak Moscow: Yevgeni Kulik, Alexander Nikishin

Traktor: Sergei Konkov, Artyom Mikheyev, Nikita Shcherbak

Milestone alert

Forward Anton Glinkin is hoping to score his 100th career KHL goal (currently at 99).

17:00: Jokerit (30-13-7) vs Kunlun (25-21-7)

About the game

Jokerit is playing the 3rd of four straight home games.

Kunlun is playing the 1st of three straight road games.

Jokerit is coming into this game having won its last contest.

Kunlun is coming into this game on a 3-game winning streak.

Jokerit defeated Kunlun earlier this season by a score of 3-2.

Kunlun has never won a KHL game in Helsinki.

Murphy has points in 3 straight games, going 1-2-3 over that span.

Brule has points in 3 straight games, going 3-0-3 over that span.

Chelios has points in 3 straight games, going 1-2-3 over that span.

Injury list

Jokerit: Henri Ikonen, Oliver Lauridsen

Kunlun: David Bondra, Alex Riche, Brayden Jaw

17:10: Dinamo Minsk (12-28-10) vs Severstal (18-23-10)

About the game

Dinamo Minsk is playing the 2nd of two straight home games.

Severstal is playing the 2nd of two straight road games.

Dinamo Minsk is coming into this game having won its last contest.

Severstal is coming into this game on a 2-game losing streak.

Severstal defeated Dinamo Minsk twice this season by overtime scores of 3-2 and 4-3 while having also lost to them once 3-2.

Dinamo Minsk last defeated Severstal at home in the regular season on January 23rd, 2014, by a score of 2-1 in OT.

Injury list

Dinamo Minsk: Sergei Kostitsyn, Stefan Elliott, Oleg Yevenko, Nikita Tolopilo

Severstal: Daniil Vovchenko, Igor Geraskin

17:30: Vityaz (24-18-8) vs Lokomotiv (26-20-4)

About the game

Vityaz is on a 1-game homestand.

Lokomotiv is playing the 1st of two straight road games.

Vityaz is coming into this contest on a 2-game losing streak.

Lokomotiv is coming into this contest on a 4-game losing streak.

Vityaz defeated Lokomotiv earlier this season 3-2.

Injury list

Vityaz: Yegor Voronkov, Alexander Shevchenko, Ivan Petrakov

Suspension

Vityaz: Forward Yevgeni Artyukhin will miss today’s game while serving the 4th of a 4-game suspension.

Milestone alert

Forward Svyatoslav Grebenshchikov is hoping to suit up for his 100th career KHL game (currently at 99).

Forward Alexei Byvaltsev is hoping to score his 100th career KHL point (currently at 99).

18:00: Dinamo Riga (14-30-5) vs Admiral (23-22-4)

About the game

Dinamo Riga is playing the 2nd of three straight home games.

Admiral is playing the 3rd of three straight road games.

Dinamo Riga is coming into this game on a 5-game losing streak.

Admiral is coming into this game on a 4-game losing streak.

Lomako has points in 4 straight games, going 2-2-4 over that span.

Injury list

Dinamo Riga: Kristaps Zile

Admiral: Alexei Drobin, Grigori Zheldakov

Suspension

Dinamo Riga: Forward Andris Dzerins will miss today’s game while serving the 1st of a 2-game suspension.

Milestone alert

Forward Alexander Streltsov is hoping to collect his 100th career KHL point (currently at 99).

Forward Konstantin Glazachev is hoping to collect his 300th career KHL point (currently at 298).