The Kontinental Hockey League is set for an action-packed day on October 15th, featuring several captivating matchups across Russia. The schedule includes Spartak and Lada facing challenging opponents in the Far East, Igor Nikitin`s CSKA traveling to clash with Lokomotiv in Yaroslavl, Severstal hosting Avtomobilist, and SKA battling Neftekhimik at home.
Spartak vs. Amur: Far East Showdown
The day`s events commence in Khabarovsk as Spartak visits Amur. The Moscow-based team is riding a two-game winning streak, having allowed just one goal in recent victories over Kunlun Red Star (3:0) and Salavat Yulaev (2:1). With 17 points, Spartak is actively vying for a leading position in the Western Conference. Notably, their next win will be the 100th KHL victory for head coach Alexei Zhamnov. Amur returns home following a successful road trip, securing consecutive wins against Neftekhimik (2:1, 4:1). These victories have boosted the “Tigers” to 12 points, temporarily placing them in a playoff position in the Eastern Conference.
Key Player Highlights:
Khabarovsk`s goaltender Maxim Dorozhko ranks among the top five in the league for shutouts, having recorded two in 12 games. Forward Matvey Zaseda has been the most productive for Amur in their last five outings, tallying 4 points (3 goals + 1 assist). For Spartak, defenseman Daniil Orlov has recorded points in four consecutive games (0 goals + 4 assists). Visiting forward Nikita Korostelyov is among the championship`s top five goal-scorers with nine goals in 14 matches. Spartak`s goaltender Dmitry Nikolaev boasts an impressive shutout streak of 68 minutes and 59 seconds.
Head-to-Head: Amur, the Far East team, has lost their last six encounters against Spartak.
Lada vs. Admiral: Seeking Revenge in Vladivostok
Lada will kick off the Far East segment of their three-game road trip in Vladivostok. The teams previously met on October 5th, where Lada suffered an overtime loss (1:2 OT) on home ice to Admiral. However, since that match, Pavel Desyatkov`s squad has remained unbeaten, securing victories over HC Sochi (3:1) and Sibir (4:2). This impressive run has helped Lada climb out of the last place in the Western Conference after a sluggish start to the season, narrowing their gap to the playoff zone to just five points. Admiral, meanwhile, is currently outside the top eight in the East. After their game in Togliatti, Leonid Tambiev`s team has had several additional days for preparation, having not played since. It remains to be seen how this extended break will affect their performance in the upcoming match. Admiral recently signed defenseman Ruslan Pedan and announced the departure of assistant coach Dmitry Kataev.
Key Player Highlights:
Admiral`s goaltender Adam Huska is among the top five in the regular season for shutouts, with two in 11 games played. Forward Nikita Tertyshny has made an immediate impact since joining Admiral, scoring two goals in two games, both of which proved to be game-winners. In their last five outings, forwards Stepan Starkov (2 goals + 2 assists) and Semyon Koshelev (1 goal + 3 assists) have been the most productive for Vladivostok. For Lada, forward Nikita Mikhailov has registered a point in four consecutive games (3 goals + 1 assist). Togliatti`s goaltender Ivan Bocharov ranks among the top five in the regular season for save percentage (94.9%) and goals-against average (1.58) after five appearances this season. Defenseman Vladislav Syomin leads the league in hits with 58 in 14 games.
Head-to-Head: Admiral has emerged victorious in 11 out of 17 head-to-head contests against Lada in KHL history.
Severstal vs. Avtomobilist: Can Cherepovets Continue Their Streak?
Severstal will conclude their three-game home series, having previously secured impressive victories over HC Sochi (3:0) and Lokomotiv (4:3). Notably, in their match against the reigning Gagarin Cup champions, Andrei Kozyrev`s squad established a significant four-goal lead. With 16 points, Severstal currently holds a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Their next opponents are Avtomobilist from Yekaterinburg, who arrive in Cherepovets following a 1:2 loss to SKA in St. Petersburg. This marked Avtomobilist`s first defeat in seven matches, despite grappling with a considerable number of injured players. Nevertheless, the Urals team maintains a leading position in the Eastern Conference with 21 points.
Gareth Tenby