Preview: Barys vs. SKA

After the break for All-Star Week in Yekaterinburg, Barys return home to kick off February with a matchup against SKA.

SKA played their previous game in Nizhnekamsk, where they earned a 5–1 win over Neftekhimik. Goals came from Matvey Korotkiy, Marat Khairullin (two), Joseph Blandisi, and Sergey Plotnikov, while goaltender Artemy Pleshkov stopped 41 shots. Head coach Igor Larionov noted that despite the final score, his team had to stay patient and work hard to secure the result.

Through 53 games, the St. Petersburg side has collected 60 points. SKA’s leading scorer this season is Marat Khairullin (14 goals, 23 assists). Artemy Pleshkov currently ranks among the top three goaltenders in the regular season with a .934 save percentage. Defensemen Nikita Zaitsev and Trevor Murphy, along with forward Igor Larionov Jr., remain on the injured list.

Barys, meanwhile, are coming off a confident 4–1 road win over Admiral in Vladivostok. Goals were scored by Kirill Savitskiy, Dinmukhamed Kaiyrzhan, Emil Galimov, and Michael Vecchione (13+19), who continues to share the team scoring lead with Riley Walsh (9+23). Vsevolod Logvin reached the 10-assist mark for the first time in his career. Recent All-Star Game participant Adam Shil made 28 saves. Head coach Mikhail Kravets highlighted the importance of the team’s counterattack goals and was generally pleased with the performance, though he noted that the skaters could have done more to help preserve the shutout.

With 42 points in 55 games, the Kazakh side remains in the hunt for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Mason Morelli has been removed from the injured list and is practicing with the team. Emil Galimov, who suffered an injury in practice, is undergoing evaluation and will miss tonight’s game.

Puck drop for Barys vs. SKA is set for 19:30 Astana time.

Tickets are available at the Barys Arena box office and online at hcbarys.kz/tickets.

General Partner of HC Barys – Samruk-Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund
Partner of HC Barys – Tourism and Sports Industry Support Fund

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