SKA - Vityaz. Introducing the opponents

CURRENT STANDINGS

7. SKA, 58 matches, 31 regulation victories, 2 overtime victories, 2 penalty shootout victories, 15 regulation defeats, 4 overtime defeats, 4 penalty shootout defeats, goal difference 170-124, 78 points

17. Vityaz, 58 matches, 20 regulation victories, 3 overtime victories, 3 penalty shootout victories, 27 regulation defeats, 2 overtime defeats, 3 penalty shootout defeats, goal difference 150-168, 57 points

FORM

Vityaz are indeed already out of the running for a spot in the 2020/2021 KHL Gagarin Cup playoffs. Unfortunately for the Podolsk-based outfit, two successive defeats to Jokerit in Finland (1:5, 2:3) dashed all hopes of qualifying for the post-season, with Mikhail Kravets’ men languishing in ninth position of the Western Conference and trailing eighth-placed Spartak Moscow by five points with only two rounds remaining.

Two consecutive losses to CSKA in Moscow (1:3) and Metallurg Magnitogorsk at the Vityaz Ice Palace (1:2 SO) before their Finnish disappointment also played a major role in their failure to qualify for the playoffs.

Nevertheless, despite the fact that Vityaz cannot reach the playoffs, the visitors are sure to be full of motivation against SKA. In all three previous meetings this season, SKA have emerged victorious against the Moscow Region organisation, winning twice in Podolsk (8:1, 3:1) and once in Saint Petersburg (5:1). The most recent duel between the clubs saw Vityaz give SKA a real run for their money at home, but goals from Igor Ozhiganov, Vasily Podolzin and Joonas Kemppainen ensured that our team did claim the two points.

Foreign forwards Justin Danforth (22+32), Kaspars Daugavins (16+32) and Mattias Tedenby (17+18) are all enjoying productive seasons, while recent senior Russian national team debutants 22-year-old Danila Moiseev (8+17) and 20-year-old Zakhar Bardakov (7+3) have shown plenty of youthful promise for Vityaz. Linus Hultstrom (7+16) is their leading scorer among defensemen.

Forwards Alexander Dergachyov (11+11), Svyatoslav Grebenshchikov (8+10), Ivan Larichev (4+7) and Evgeny Artyukhin (2+2) have represented SKA in the past.

SKA are coming off the back of a remarkable triumph over Kunlun Red Star on the road on Monday. After 40 minutes, our players found themselves trailing 0:3 at the Arena Mytishchi, but Malte Stromwall and Kirill Marchenko subsequently scored two goals each in the ensuing third period to defeat the hosts in spectacular fashion. SKA are guaranteed to finish in second of the Western Conference.

POINTS LEADERS IN LAST FIVE MATCHES

SKA

Malte Stromwall: 5 (5+0) points

Dinar Khafizullin: 4 (1+3) points

Kirill Marchenko: 3 (2+1) points

VITYAZ

Mattias Tedenby: 4 (3+1) points

Justin Danforth: 4 (2+2) points

Jakub Jerabek: 4 (1+3) points

Former SKA goalkeeper Ilya Ezhov has tallied a 91.4% save percentage, a goals against average of 2.78, three shutouts and even one assist in his 37 appearances in the current campaign. Anton Todykov (23 matches, 91.8%, 2.85, 1 shutout) did stop 23 of 26 shots against Jokerit on Tuesday.

Magnus Hellberg (21 matches, 93.0%, 1.89, 2 shutouts) and Alexander Samonov (20 matches, 92.3%, 2.13, 1 shutout) have been taking it in turns to play in SKA’s net since the opening weeks of January.

WHERE TO WATCH

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