Do or die for Ak Bars today
Ak Bars is backed into a corner, needing a win tonight to keep its playoff hopes alive. After three straight losses, the Kazan team returns home hoping to force a game seven in Moscow. Dynamo, meanwhile, rides the momentum of its first home win in the series and can clinch a semifinal spot with one more solid performance. Goalie decisions and scoring streaks could tip the balance in this thriller.
19:00: Ak Bars vs Dynamo Moscow
Series stand
2-3 (5:3, 2:0, 1:3, 2:3, 3:4).
About the game
An entertaining game in Moscow saw Dynamo move ahead in this series for the first time in game five. Ak Bars clawed back two goals in the third period but could not finish its recovery and fell 3:4. The previous four games all went to the visiting team, and the Muscovites’ success on home ice put Alexei Kudashov’s team one game away from advancing after three straight victories. It was another troublesome game for Ak Bars’ goalie Timur Bilyalov, who allowed four goals in just 17 saves – perhaps Anvar Gatiyatullin will turn to Amir Miftakhov for game six – the backup goalie allowed no goals in the last twenty-three minutes of action in the fifth encounter. Two points by Dmitrij Jaskin, yet another point from defenseman Mitchel Miller and Semyon Terekhov’s first-ever postseason goal weren’t enough for Kazan, who is now in a do-or-die situation to bring the series to Moscow for a decisive seventh game. Maxim Dzhioshvili and Artyom Mikheyev produced two points for the Blue-and-Whites, who have a chance to improve last year’s record – they lost 0-4 to Traktor in the second round as the teams may battle again in this season’s semifinals.
Ak Bars’ defenseman Mitchel Miller is on a five-game scoring streak, with 7 (2+5) points over that span.
Ak Bars’ forward Eric O’Dell had an assist in each of his previous three matches.
Ak Bars’ forward Nicholas Petan is also on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (1+2) points.
Dynamo Moscow’s leading forward Nikita Gusev is on a three-game scoring streak, with 3 (1+2) points over that stretch.
Injury list
Ak Bars: Yegor Babenko.
Milestone alert
Ak Bars’ forward Dmitrij Jaskin may score his 300th point in the KHL (currently at 297).
Ak Bars’ forward Kirill Semyonov may score his 50th point in the Gagarin Cup playoffs (currently at 49).
Dynamo Moscow’s defenseman Igor Ozhiganov may reach 200 assists in the KHL (currently at 199).
Dynamo Moscow’s defenseman Artyom Sergeyev lines up for his 150th appearance in the Gagarin Cup playoffs.
