Upcoming Week’s KHL Action

Just a quick post about what you can look forward to seeing this week.

Tuesday. KHL’s leaders Atlant Mytischi host Ak Bars Kazan.

Wednesday. The brand new IIHF European Champions League starts. The KHL is represented by last year’s Russian Superliga champions Salavat Yulayev Ufa and last year’s European Cup winners Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Magnitka does not have a game this Wednesday, but Salavat will take on HC České Budějovice, last year’s regular season champs in the Czech Extraliga, and we’ll have that game for you to check out.

Thursday. Jaromir Jagr, Alexei Cherepanov and the rest of Avangard Omsk visit Moscow to take on Spartak.

Friday. Salavat Yulayev Ufa are flying all the way to Khabarovsk, the Eastern most KHL city to take on Amur.

KHL Games Streaming Video: Sep 30 – Oct 5 (Top 2 Collide)

Sep 30

CSKA Moscow @  Severstal Cherepovets
Watch Streaming Video

Oct 1

Metallurg Novokuznetsk @  AK Bars Kazan
Watch Streaming Video

One of those games we got a chance to see for ourselves. A great, open game played at an incredible pace. Boris Mikhaylov’s troops from Novokuznetsk were not afraid to get into a run and gun contest with the one of the KHL’s powerhouses, Ak Bars Kazan. It was also our first chance to see the 16-year old Maxim Kitsyn, the youngest player in the KHL. He’s #91 (sporting a full face shield) on the Metallurg squad.

Oct 2

Spartak Moscow @  Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
Watch Streaming Video

Oct 3

Atlant Mytischi @  Avangard Omsk
Watch Streaming Video

This week’s must see game features currently the top 2 teams in the KHL. These are also two hottest teams in the league coming into the game on long winning streaks. Atlant won 6 straight while Avangard is on a 7-game winning streak (which coincidentally or not started right after they fired their coach… who said Jaromir Jagr can’t be a player coach?). The game also features the current points leader in the entire league, Sergei Mozyakin of Atlant and the current top goal scorer, Jaromir Jagr (10). New York Rangers prospect Alexei Cherepanov is coming into the match on his own streak having scored goals in 5 straight games and having scored points in 7 straight. If all of this weren’t enough the game also features two former NHL goalies, John Graham of Ak Bars and Ray Emery of Atlant. Both are playing very well so far sporting a .930 save percentage. We just had to check this one out for ourselves and it didn’t disappoint.

Oct 4

Traktor Chelyabinsk @  Metallurg Magnitogorsk
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Magnitka’s first game after the Victoria Cup game vs. the New York Rangers turned into quite an ill tempered affair. Fans of hockey fisticuffs might want to check this one out. Who says Russians don’t fight?

Spartak Moscow @  Severstal Cherepovets
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Severstal is flying high after a slow start having won their last 4 games coming into this one. 18-year old Montreal Canadiens prospect Maxim Trunev is in the line-up for the club from Cherepovets.

Oct 5

Metallurg Novokuznetsk @  Salavat Yulayev Ufa
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Another chance to see the 16-year old Maxim Kitsyn, this time in a game vs. last season’s Russian Superliga champs, Salavat. For Salavat this is the last KHL game before they make their debut in the brand new European Champions League.

Avangard Omsk Head Coach Fired

It didn’t take long for the first coaching casualty in the KHL. Avangard’s head coach Sergei Gersonskiy and his assistant Igor Zhilinskiy were fired after just 6 games. Avangard, one of the best teams in the KHL on paper, got off to a 2-4 start on the ice despite making the biggest offseason signing in Jaromir Jagr.

The new coach will be announced in a matter of a couple of days and he won’t be Russian. According to Avangard’s board all the good Russian coaches are currently under contract so they’re looking to sign someone from abroad.

Today’s KHL Game: Metallurg Magnitogorsk @ Avangard Omsk

Metallurg Magnitogorsk @ Avangard Omsk

Great rivalry game and the chance to see Jaromir Jagr in action. This game would be especially interesting for New York Rangers fans as they get to see Jagr vs. a team the Rangers will soon face in the Victoria Cup. This is also Jaromir Jagr’s home debut since Avangard’s first 3 games were on the road.

Rest of This Week’s KHL Games Preview

Watch for links to the following games later this week.

Metallurg Magnitogorsk @ Avangard Omsk
Great rivalry game and the chance to see Jaromir Jagr in action. This game would be especially interesting for New York Rangers fans as they get to see Jagr vs. a team the Rangers will soon face in the Victoria Cup.

Dinamo Moscow @ Ak Bars Kazan
Another great rivalry game. Kazan features what is arguably the best line in the KHL, Morozov – Zinovyev Zaripov as well as last year’s Finnish NHLer, Niko Kapanen.

HK MVD Moscow Region @ Dinamo Riga (Latvia)
The terrible Far East / Siberian 5-game road trip Dinamo Riga had to endure is over and there’s been huge buzz among the completely obsessed with hockey Latvians for the first regular season home game in Riga. Should be very interesting to see what the crowd will be like.

Salavat Yulayev Ufa @ Avangard Omsk
Jaromir Jagr’s powerhouse from Omsk is off to a slow start. Jagr himself has one assist in the first 3 games. This will be his first look at last year’s champions from Ufa and their controversial new signing, Alexander Radulov.