SKA - Neftekhimik. Introducing the opponents

CURRENT STANDINGS

7. SKA, 12 matches, 5 regulation victories, 1 overtime victory, 2 penalty shootout victories, 3 regulation defeats, 1 penalty shootout defeat, goal difference 42-29, 17 points

17. Neftekhimik, 12 matches, 5 regulation victories, 6 regulation defeats, 1 overtime defeat, goal difference 28-31, 11 points

FORM

Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk initially made an excellent start to the 2021/2022 KHL regular season by defeating Kunlun Red Star Beijing (5:1), Jokerit Helsinki (4:2) and Sibir Novosibirsk (4:2) on home ice in their first three games. However, since those three wins, Neftekhimik have only claimed a further two victories against Vityaz Podolsk (5:2) and Admiral Vladivostok (4:0) in Nizhnekamsk. Moreover, the Tatarstan outfit - managed by Oleg Leontyev - are indeed yet to pick up a single point away from home, and they have arrived in Saint Petersburg on the back of two successive road setbacks to Dinamo Minsk (1:3) and Spartak Moscow (1:5).

Nevertheless, despite their somewhat patchy form, Neftekhimik do have a capable squad at their disposal. At the blue line, Czech summer arrival Lukas Klok will be a threat to the SKA defence, with the 26-year-old having already tallied seven (2+5) points in Neftekhimik’s 12 games to date. Fellow Czech defenseman Ronald Knot (1+1) also signed for Neftekhimik during the pre-season and plays in the first line alongside Maxim Berezin (1+0). Marat Khairullin (4+3), Ansel Galimov (1+5), Danila Popov (2+3) and vastly experienced 34-year-old American Dan Sexton (1+4) are currently Neftekhimik’s leading scorers among forwards.

SKA haven’t won in regulation time since September 21 against Amur Khabarovsk at the Ice Palace (5:1). Since that particular match, our players have conceded slender defeats to Salavat Yulaev Ufa at home (2:4) and Vityaz in Podolsk (5:6 SO) while defeating Dinamo Minsk in Belarus in overtime (2:1 OT) and Traktor Chelyabinsk in a penalty shootout in Saint Petersburg (4:3 SO). In the last two games, SKA found themselves trailing by three goals to Vityaz (1:4) and Traktor (0:3), before subsequently fighting their way back into proceedings to earn points in both games. Forwards Anton Burdasov (8+6) and Andrei Kuzmenko (2+12) are our top scorers after 12 matches with 14 points each.

Last season, SKA managed to beat Neftekhimik in both regular season matches, winning 2:1 in Nizhnekamsk and 5:2 at home.

GOALKEEPING STATISTICS

SKA

Lars Johansson: 8 matches, 4 victories, 1 defeat, 160 saves made, save percentage 94.1%, goals against average 1.49, 2 shutouts

Alexander Samonov: 5 matches, 2 victories, 2 defeats, 77 saves made, save percentage 84.6%, goals against average 4.37

Yaroslav Askarov: 3 matches, 2 victories, 1 defeat, 47 saves made, save percentage 94.0%, goals against average 1.32

NEFTEKHIMIK

Frans Tuohimaa: 9 matches, 4 victories, 5 defeats, 191 saves made, save percentage 89.3%, goals against average 2.55, 1 shutout

Evgeny Ivannikov: 3 matches, 1 victory, 2 defeats, 54 saves made, save percentage 87.1%, goals against average 2.71

WHERE TO WATCH

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