SKA - Lokomotiv. Match day

SKA are back home in Saint Petersburg to play HC Lokomotiv Yaroslavl having played a three game away series around Finland and Russia.

Today's opponents are very familiar ones, as in the first game of the pre-season Lokomotiv defeated SKA 4:3. Indeed the Yaroslavl club have been in brilliant form this season so far, and sit in second place of the Western Conference on 35 points (just two behind CSKA Moscow). Their home form has been key not dropping a single game in Yaroslavl, and they have gradually been picking up wins away too. Their strongest aspect is their goaltending, and Alexey Murygin has already kept an impressive five shut outs. He also set a new KHL record for the longest time without conceding a goal, as for 302 minutes and 11 seconds no one could find the net against him. At the other end of the ice Lokomotiv have been potent too, and their current top scorer is Egor Averin with 13 (10+3). Finns Petri Kontiola and Jonas Enlund are a genuine threat to any opponent, and Swedish defenceman Patrik Hersley (signed from Sibir) has been excellent at the blue line.

It promises to be a tough test for SKA today, however the team really do need the points languishing in ninth of the conference with 27 points. Nevertheless confidence will be high in the camp following a hard fought 4:3 penalty shot win over Neftekhimik on Monday, and that game's hero Alexander Barabanov has been in fine form of late.

The SKA - Lokomotiv match will begin at 17.00 local time inside the Saint Petersburg Ice Palace. Life78, KHL TV and KHL TV HD will all broadcast the game live, and you can keep up to date with events by following our official Twitter account.