SKA - Avtomobilist. Introducing the opponents

CURRENT STANDINGS

3. SKA, 3 matches, 2 regulation victories, 1 penalty shootout victory, goal difference 16-7, 6 points

24. Avtomobilist, 2 matches, 2 regulation defeats, goal difference 4-10, 0 points

FORM

It’s been a somewhat contrasting start to the 2021/2022 KHL regular season for these two teams. While SKA have won all three matches, Avtomobilist have conceded two defeats in as many games, coming up short against Metallurg Magnitogorsk (2:6) and Salavat Yulaev Ufa (2:4) on home ice. Furthermore, just to add to their troubles, vastly experienced 33-year-old Czech goaltender Jakub Kovar has been ruled out for the rest of the entire campaign due to a serious injury.

Coached by Canadian manager Bill Peters, Avtomobilist like to compete in a fast, aggressive manner, attacking with intent and applying heavy pressure on their opponents. However, as their maiden two results of the season have proved, they do have defensive issues which require tweaking. Leading defenseman Zakhar Arzamastsev, who missed the defeats to Magnitogorsk and Salavat Yulaev, was declared fit enough to travel with Peters’ team to Saint Petersburg.

During the summer, Avtomobilist made several smart moves on the transfer market, notably securing the services of North Americans Jesse Blacker (defenseman), Ryan Spooner (forward), Shane Prince (forward) and Patrice Cormier (forward). With such a strong squad at their disposal, the Yekaterinburg-based outfit are certainly aiming to finish in the top four positions of the Eastern Conference.

SKA are coming off the back of a confident performance against Admiral in the first home match of the KHL campaign. Displaying free-flowing ice hockey, our players romped to an emphatic 9:2 triumph, as Mikhail Vorobyov, Anton Burdasov, Danila Moiseev, Kirill Marchenko (2), Andrei Kuzmenko, Evgeny Timkin and 16-year-old Matvei Michkov (2) all scored superb goals. In the preceding two games, SKA had seen off the challenge of Severstal Cherepovets (3:2) and Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (4:3 SO) on the road.

In pre-season, the two sides met at the Sochi Hockey Open, with Avtomobilist winning 4:3 after a penalty shootout. Joonas Kemppainen, Igor Ozhiganov and Burdasov had registered our markers in regulation time.

MEETINGS IN 2020/2021 KHL SEASON

10.12.2020. SKA - Avtomobilist - 7:2 (Starkov 02:25, Marchenko 05:02, Kemppainen 13:03, Vey 16:20, Burdasov 17:18, Kuzmenko 36:02, Tkachyov 56:44; Datsyuk 07:50, Platt 35:40)

19.01.2021. Avtomobilist - SKA - 1:3 (Datsyuk 07:16; Burdasov 26:02, Morozov 32:09, Groshev 37:46)

GOALKEEPING STATISTICS SO FAR THIS CAMPAIGN

SKA

Alexander Samonov: 2 appearances, 1 regulation victory, 1 penalty shootout victory, 61 saves made, save percentage 92.4%, goals against average 2.40

Lars Johansson: 1 appearance, 1 regulation victory, 19 saves made, save percentage 90.5%, goals against average 2.00

AVTOMOBILIST

Jakub Kovar: 1 appearance, 1 regulation defeat, 20 saves made, save percentage 76.9%, goals against average 6.00

Dmitry Shikin: 1 appearance, 1 regulation defeat, 12 saves made, save percentage 75.0%, goals against average 8.38

Vladimir Galkin: 1 appearance, 9 saves made, save percentage 100%, goals against average 0.00

WHERE TO WATCH

Puck-drop is scheduled for 19:30 local time at the Saint Petersburg Ice Palace. KHL TV and Channel 78 will provide a television broadcast in Russia, whereas you can watch a live video worldwide on the KHL’s official website. Text updates will be available on our Twitter account.