SKA - Lokomotiv. Introducing the opponents

CURRENT STANDINGS

7. SKA, 52 matches, 28 regulation victories, 1 overtime victory, 2 penalty shootout victories, 13 regulation victories, 4 overtime defeats, 4 penalty shootout defeats, goal difference 155-111, 70 points

6. Lokomotiv, 53 matches, 25 regulation victories, 5 overtime victories, 3 penalty shootout victories, 15 regulation defeats, 4 overtime defeats, 1 penalty shootout defeat, goal difference 159-114, 71 points

FORM

Lokomotiv have already guaranteed their participation in the upcoming 2020/2021 KHL Gagarin Cup playoffs. At the moment, the Yaroslavl-based organisation boast 71 points from 53 matches, as they sit above SKA in sixth position of the overall standings. However, as a consequence of SKA leading the Bobrov Division and Lokomotiv only occupying third place of the Tarasov Division, our team are in second spot of the Western Conference. Lokomotiv, on the other hand, are down in fourth.

This game forms the third and concluding match of this particular road trip for Lokomotiv. So far, Andrei Skabelka’s troops haven’t been able to pick up any points in this away series, having conceded defeats to Avangard Omsk and Severstal Cherepovets both by a score of 2:4 their previous two fixtures. Before those two matches, Lokomotiv had earned four successive wins in games against Ak Bars in Kazan (4:3 SO), HC Sochi at the Bolshoy Ice Dome (5:1) and Kunlun Red Star Beijing (3:2) and Avangard (3:2) at home.

Forwards Anton Lander (14+17), Denis Alexeev (10+21), Yegor Korshkov (15+15), Pavel Kraskovsky (15+14), Artur Kayumov (11+17), Andre Petersson (13+12) and Vladimir Tkachyov (9+14) are all enjoying productive campaigns for Lokomotiv, while defensemen Alexei Marchenko (6+14), Rushan Rafikov (3+17), Maxim Osipov (6+10) and Atte Ohtamaa (6+7) are all particularly dangerous from the blue line.

SKA are coming off the back of a disappointing 0:2 defeat to Dynamo in Moscow on Monday. Nevertheless, our players have still claimed four wins in their last five matches after beating Spartak Moscow in the Russian capital (5:0), Severstal at home (4:1), Vityaz in Podolsk (3:1) and Avtomobilist in Yekaterinburg (3:1).

This will be the third meeting between these two teams in the current campaign. On September 11, goals from Andrei Kuzmenko, Anton Burdasov, Lukas Bengtsson and Emil Galimov secured a 4:2 triumph for SKA in Saint Petersburg, but Lokomotiv subsequently gained revenge on January 7 with a 4:1 victory at the Arena-2000. Miro Aaltonen scored SKA’s only goal in that game.

POINTS LEADERS IN LAST FIVE MATCHES

SKA

Anton Burdasov: 7 (4+3) points

Ivan Morozov: 6 (3+3) points

Lukas Bengtsson: 4 (1+3) points

LOKOMOTIV

Anton Lander: 5 (4+1) points

Andre Petersson: 5 (3+2) points

Yegor Averin: 4 (2+2) points

Edward Pasquale has been a rock-solid figure in net for Lokomotiv. So far, the 30-year-old Canadian has made 38 appearances this season, recording a 92.5% save percentage, a goals against average of 1.90, an impressive total of five shutouts and even three assists. Ilya Konovalov (15 matches, 91.2%, 2.62) and Daniil Isaev (3 matches, 88.4%, 2.37, 1 shutout) have also competed in their goal.

In the game against Dynamo Moscow, Magnus Hellberg (18 matches, 93.0%, 1.88, 2 shutouts) was strong for SKA in goal, stopping 20 of the 21 shots he faced. Fellow SKA goalkeeper Alexander Samonov (17 matches, 92.2%, 2.16, 1 shutout) had tallied his maiden shutout of the season in the 5:0 victory over Spartak at the CSKA Arena.

WHERE TO WATCH

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