The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) features two intriguing matchups today, September 30th. Spartak Moscow is set to host Traktor Chelyabinsk, while HC Sochi will celebrate its 700th KHL game against Lada Togliatti.
Can Traktor Avenge Their Previous Loss Against Spartak?
Match Time: 19:30 Moscow Time
This will be the second encounter between Spartak and Traktor this season. Their initial game on September 21st in Chelyabinsk saw Spartak emerge victorious with a 5-3 score. Since that win, Spartak has faced a tougher patch, suffering two consecutive defeats against Metallurg (2-3 in overtime) and Kunlun Red Star (1-3).
In contrast, Traktor had a strong showing in their sole game during this period, securing a convincing 5-1 victory over Avangard. Spartak, currently with nine points, is positioned at the fringe of the Western Conference playoff zone. Traktor holds 12 points, placing them in the top four of the Eastern Conference. Fans can anticipate the return of forward Mikhail Grigorenko to Traktor`s lineup soon after his injury.
Team Leaders in Last Five KHL Matches:
Spartak:
- Daniil Orlov: 5 points (2 goals + 3 assists)
- German Rubtsov: 5 points (2 goals + 3 assists)
- Alexander Pashin: 5 points (1 goal + 4 assists)
Traktor:
- Josh Leivo: 7 points (3 goals + 4 assists)
- Grigory Dronov: 6 points (4 goals + 2 assists)
- Semyon Der-Arguchintsev: 5 points (0 goals + 5 assists)
Further enhancing Spartak`s offensive depth this season are leading scorers Nikita Korostelev (5 goals + 3 assists) and German Rubtsov (4 goals + 4 assists). Korostelev is notably just one goal shy of his 100th career KHL goal. Goaltender Dmitry Nikolaev is also nearing a significant personal milestone, needing one more shutout to reach ten in the league.
For Traktor, forward Joshua Leivo is a standout, ranking among the top five scorers and assist leaders in the regular season with 4 goals and 7 assists in seven games. He is currently on a three-game point streak (3 goals + 2 assists). Defenseman Grigory Dronov has also been impressive, featuring in the top five scorers and snipers among defenders (4 goals + 3 assists in nine games), and is on a three-game point streak himself (4 goals + 1 assist). Semyon Der-Arguchintsev leads Traktor`s assist race with eight assists in eight matches.
Head-to-Head Statistics:
In KHL history, Traktor holds a slight edge with 18 victories compared to Spartak`s 14 wins.
Recent Encounters:
Spartak 2 – Traktor 3
Spartak 3 – Traktor 2
Spartak 2 – Traktor 4
Traktor 3 – Spartak 5
Traktor 2 – Spartak 3
Traktor 2 – Spartak 1
HC Sochi`s 700th KHL Match: Can They Secure a Second Victory Against Lada This Season?
Match Time: 19:30 Moscow Time
HC Sochi will play its landmark 700th KHL match today against Lada Togliatti, an opponent they recently defeated. On September 24th, Sochi claimed a 5-4 shootout victory against Lada on the road. However, after returning home, the “Leopards” lost 2-4 to SKA. Lada Togliatti, in the interim, suffered two defeats against Kunlun Red Star (1-4) and CSKA (2-7), extending their current losing streak to eight matches. The key question for Lada is whether they can finally break this tough streak.
In the Western Conference standings, Pavel Desyatkov`s Lada team is currently at the bottom with three points, while HC Sochi sits one spot higher with seven points.
Team Leaders in Last Five KHL Matches:
HC Sochi:
- Artur Tyanulin: 4 points (2 goals + 2 assists)
- Jean-Christophe Beaudin: 3 points (1 goal + 2 assists)
- Matvei Guskov: 3 points (1 goal + 2 assists)
Lada:
- Dmitry Kugryshev: 5 points (1 goal + 4 assists)
- Riley Savchuk: 3 points (3 goals + 0 assists)
- Andrey Chivilyov: 3 points (2 goals + 1 assist)
Mark Verba, a forward for HC Sochi, is notably among the top five players in the regular season for hits, tallying 34 over five matches. Lada`s defenseman Vladislav Semyon slightly edges him out with 35 hits in eight games. This season, Sochi`s leading scorer is forward Sergei Popov (2 goals + 6 assists in eight games). For Lada, both Dmitry Kugryshev (0 goals + 4 assists) and Andrey Chivilyov (2 goals + 1 assist) are on active three-game point streaks.
Head-to-Head Statistics:
HC Sochi has a dominant historical record against Lada, winning 12 matchups compared to Lada`s 2 victories. Notably, HC Sochi has secured victories in their last seven consecutive matches against Lada.
Recent Encounters:
HC Sochi 3 – Lada 2
HC Sochi 5 – Lada 4
HC Sochi 2 – Lada 1
Lada 4 – HC Sochi 5
Lada 3 – HC Sochi 4
Lada 3 – HC Sochi 4