Game Preview: Snezhnye Barsy vs Chaika

The Astana team continues its February home series and will host Chaika from Nizhny Novgorod on home ice.

Before arriving in Astana, the visitors played an away game in Nizhnekamsk against Reaktor and secured a 5:3 victory. Yan Melnikov scored a double, while Ivan Mullerov, Vladislav Mishin, and Alexander Yatsenko added one goal each. Prior to that, Alexey Podalinsky’s squad also had success in Almetyevsk, defeating Sputnik 3:2 in a shootout. The decisive shot was converted by Makar Opolinsky, while Yatsenko and Melnikov scored in regulation.

Ahead of the matchup, Chaika sits 7th in the Eastern Conference Gold Division standings with 61 points in 49 games.

The team’s top performer over the last five games is Yan Melnikov, who has collected 6 points (5 goals + 1 assist).

Snezhnye Barsy began their home series with a heavy 0:8 loss to Mamonty Yugry. In that game, a goal by Rasul Tursynov in the first period was disallowed, and afterward the hosts were unable to capitalize on their chances.

Before that, the Astana side had a successful road trip in Perm, where they defeated MHK Molot twice. In those games, Asanali Ruslanuly, Timur Mindubayev, Ilkhyon Ten, Ruslan Tusipbekov, Rasul Tursynov, and Zhakhanger Tileukhan made key contributions. For the last two players, those matches were especially memorable, as both scored their first MHL goals.

Currently, Snezhnye Barsy are at the bottom of the Silver Division standings with 19 points in 47 games.

Over the last five matches, the team’s most productive player has been Timur Mindubayev, with 5 points (3 goals + 2 assists).

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