KHL October 1 Preview: Salavat Yulaev’s Milestone Game and SKA’s Challenge

The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) features six exciting matchups today, October 1st. Avangard will host Admiral, while Salavat Yulaev marks its 1200th KHL game, facing the risk of a seventh consecutive defeat. Avtomobilist takes on Amur, Barys awaits a tough test against Lokomotiv, Dinamo Minsk plays Severstal for the second time this week, and SKA once again clashes with Torpedo.

Will Admiral End Their Goal Drought in Omsk?

The game day kicks off in Omsk, where Avangard will host Admiral. The visitors are continuing their four-game road trip, which began with a 0-3 shutout loss to Barys in Astana. With eight points, Admiral currently sits ninth in the Eastern Conference. Avangard has six more points and is among the top four teams. In their previous outing, Avangard defeated Salavat Yulaev 5-2 on the road. Ahead of the Omsk match, Admiral strengthened their roster by acquiring forward Nikita Tertyshny in a trade with Torpedo.

Team Leaders in Last Five KHL Matches:

Avangard:

• Andrew Poturalski: 8 (3 goals + 5 assists)
• Semyon Chistyakov: 5 (3 goals + 2 assists)
• Damir Sharipzyanov: 5 (0 goals + 5 assists)

Admiral:

• Alexander Daryin: 5 (2 goals + 3 assists)
• Kyle Olson: 3 (3 goals + 0 assists)
• Stepan Starkov: 3 (2 goals + 1 assist)

Avangard`s Semyon Chistyakov (3+2) and Ivan Igumnov (1+2) are on personal three-game scoring streaks. Chistyakov is also among the top five defensemen in the regular season for points and goals (3+4 in seven games). Forward Konstantin Okulov is the first player this season to record three game-winning goals. For Avangard`s goaltender Nikita Serebryakov, his next shutout will be the 20th of his KHL career. His Admiral counterpart, Adam Huska, is in the top three in the regular season for shutouts (two in eight games played). Alexander Daryin (2+3) has been Admiral`s most productive player in their last five matches.

Salavat Yulaev Risks Seventh Consecutive Defeat

The 2-5 loss to Avangard marked Salavat Yulaev`s sixth consecutive defeat. This season, Ufa has played eight matches, securing only one victory. With four points, they are currently at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. This upcoming game will be a milestone 1200th KHL match for the hosts. Sibir sits one spot higher with eight points. Vadim Yepanchintsev`s team arrived in Ufa after road losses to Barys (4-6) and Metallurg (3-4), despite holding a two-goal lead against Magnitogorsk. Can they avoid another setback?

Team Leaders in Last Five KHL Matches:

Salavat Yulaev:

• Danil Alalykin: 4 (2 goals + 2 assists)
• Maxim N. Kuznetsov: 3 (2 goals + 1 assist)
• Vladislav Efremov: 2 (2 goals + 0 assists)

Sibir:

• Scott Wilson: 4 (4 goals + 0 assists)
• Nikita Soshnikov: 4 (2 goals + 2 assists)
• Chase Evans Priskie: 4 (0 goals + 4 assists)

For Salavat Yulaev`s Denis Yan, his next point will be his 100th in the KHL, but he is currently sidelined due to injury. Defenseman Alexei Vasilevsky is one assist shy of his 100th in the League. Danil Alalykin (2+2) has been Ufa`s most productive player in their last five matches. Sibir`s Chase Evans Priskie is on a five-game point streak (0+5). Vladimir Tkachyov has been effective in three consecutive games (1+2). Goaltender Anton Krasotkin is among the regular season leaders in save percentage (95.0%) and goals-against average (1.40) after six games, including one shutout.

Will Amur`s Shutout Streak Continue?

Avtomobilist concludes a short two-game home series, while Amur embarks on a five-game road trip. In their last game, Khabarovsk achieved a rather sensational result, shutting out CSKA Moscow 2-0. Goaltender Maxim Dorozhko secured the shutout, extending his current streak without conceding a goal to 68 minutes and 10 seconds. In their previous match, the Ural team confidently defeated Ak Bars 4-1. With 11 points, they are fifth in the East, while Amur is in eighth position with three fewer points.