SKA - Dynamo Moscow. Introducing the opponents

CURRENT STANDINGS

4. SKA: 38 matches, 19 regulation victories, 2 overtime victories, 3 penalty shootout victories, 9 regulation defeats, 2 overtime defeats, 3 penalty shootout defeats, goal difference 118-80, 53 points

5. Dynamo Moscow: 38 matches, 22 regulation victories, 2 overtime victories, 1 overtime victory, 11 regulation defeats, 1 overtime defeat, 1 penalty shootout defeat, goal difference 128-91, 52 points

FORM

This will be the third meeting between these rivals in the 2021/2022 KHL regular season. In October, SKA claimed two triumphs against Dynamo Moscow in quick succession, beating the capital-based outfit 5:3 in Saint Petersburg and subsequently 3:2 on the road. Ivan Morozov, Anton Burdasov, Joonas Kemppainen (2) and Evgeny Ketov scored in the first game, before Andrei Kuzmenko (2) and Artyom Shvets-Rogovoi hit the target in Moscow. Reliable goaltender Lars Johansson competed in both of the two games in question for SKA.

Dynamo are coming off the back of two underwhelming home defeats to CSKA Moscow (2:3 OT) and Admiral Vladivostok (1:2 SO), matches in which Alexei Kudashov’s players struggled physically. Nevertheless, ahead of those two games, Dynamo had tallied three successive wins against Ak Bars Kazan (home, 4:1), Barys Nur-Sultan (away, 4:2) and Salavat Yulaev Ufa (away, 4:0). Dynamo are currently sitting in third spot of the Western Conference, trailing SKA in second by the single point. Jokerit Helsinki are a further point ahead in first.

Veteran forward Vadim Shipachyov is continuing to lead the Dynamo charge. Simply unplayable at times, the 34-year-old is enjoying a campaign to remember, registering a hugely impressive haul of 57 (21+36) points in 38 appearances. Furthermore, Shipachyov has picked up 10 (4+6) points in Dynamo’s past five games. Fellow forwards Stanislav Galiev (20+16), Dmitry Rashevsky (16+14) and Eric O’Dell (12+13) have also been in productive form, while defensemen Vyacheslav Voynov (5+18) and Andrei Sergeev (4+17) are very dangerous at the blue line.

Dynamo defenseman Andrei Pribylsky (1+0) and forwards Yegor Bryzgalov (1+2) and Mikhail Fisenko (3+4) are on the sidelines with injuries.

It’s worth noting that Dynamo are third in the powerplay ranking with a solid conversion rate of 24.4%. For comparison, SKA (21.7%) are seventh in the same ranking. Furthermore, if we look at the penalty killing statistics, we can see that Dynamo boast a 83.6% success rate (fifth place) when shorthanded compared to SKA’s percentage of 82.4% (seventh place).

SKA have confidently won five consecutive games against Dinamo Minsk (home, 2:1), Jokerit (home, 3:1), Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg (away, 1:0), Traktor Chelyabinsk (away, 4:1) and Metallurg Magnitogorsk (away, 5:1). In-form forward Andrei Kuzmenko continues to be our leading scorer with 42 (16+26) points to his name.

GOALKEEPING STATISTICS

SKA

Lars Johansson: 28 matches, 16 wins, 9 defeats, 588 saves made, 42 goals conceded, save percentage 93.3%, goals against average 1.62, 8 shutouts

Alexander Samonov: 7 matches, 3 wins, 3 defeats, 105 saves made, 18 goals conceded, save percentage 85.4%, goals against average 3.87

Yaroslav Askarov: 5 matches, 2 wins, 2 defeats, 75 saves made, 8 goals conceded, save percentage 90.4%, goals against average 2.01

Dmitry Nikolaev: 4 matches, 3 wins, 82 saves made, 6 goals conceded, save percentage 93.2%, goals against average 1.54

DYNAMO MOSCOW

Ivan Bocharov: 28 matches, 17 wins, 8 defeats, 625 saves made, 60 goals conceded, save percentage 91.2%, goals against average 2.32, 3 shutouts

Alexander Yeryomenko: 13 matches, 8 wins, 4 defeats, 272 saves made, 22 goals conceded, save percentage 92.5%, goals against average 1.93, 1 shutout

Ivan Kulbakov: 1 match, 1 defeat, 13 saves made, 3 goals conceded, save percentage 81.2%, goals against average 4.09

WHERE TO WATCH

Puck-drop is scheduled for 17:00 local time at the Saint Petersburg Ice Palace. KHL TV and Channel 78 (Saint Petersburg and Leningrad Region only) will provide a television broadcast in Russia, whereas you can watch a live video on the KHL’s official website worldwide. Text updates will be available on our Twitter account.