Spartak - SKA. Match day

SKA have made the trip to Moscow to play HC Spartak, a game which promises to be one of the most exciting of the week.

Following bankruptcy this is Spartak's first KHL season since their year long sabbatical, and despite having to start all over again they have been a real threat this campaign. During the summer they won two pre-season tournaments, and began the KHL with some promising results. Nevertheless they have dropped off the boil in recent weeks, and already find themselves in twelfth place of the Western Conference with 25 points. This will be their third game in this home series, having beaten HC Sochi 4:3 along with a 0:2 loss to Lokomotiv two days ago. Ex SKA goaltender Evgeny Ivannikov is among their ranks and currently holds an 89.7% saves percentage. Finn Atte Engren has a slightly better percentage (91.5%), and he will be expected to be between the pipes today. Spartak's overall top scorer is forward Maxim Potapov on 12 points (6+6).

This is a hugely important game for SKA, and the players need the win to keep in touch with the top eight of the conference. Indeed our team is only in 10th at the moment following two home defeats to Lokomotiv and Sochi (0:3 and 1:2 respectively), however a victory will help decrease the gap. Defenceman Maxim Chudinov will miss this match after having been handed a two match suspension following an illegal hit in the previous fixture.

In 27 KHL matches against each other, SKA have emerged victorious on 17 occasions.

The Spartak - SKA match will take place in the Moscow Luzhniki Arena at 19.30 local time. Life78 and KHL TV will both broadcast the game live, and you will be able to keep up to date with events by following our official Twitter account.