KHL 30 January 2019

30 January 2019

Traktor Chelyabinsk vs. Vityaz Podolsk

One of just two matches today and the suburban Moscowites of Vityaz are into the Eastern Conference. Both teams would probably appreciate maximum points out of this game to ensure their respective playoff berths as soon as possible.

IO9419 CEE 0005-0400 CEK SU95 RA-89077 (29/01/19)
IO9420 CEK 2230-2330 SVX SU95 RA-89077 (30/01/19)

Severstal Cherepovets vs. Lokomotiv Yaroslavl

The neighbors in the Bobrov Division go toe to toe again, with Severstal looking to make the most of its remote chances of making the playoffs still. Loko in the meantime will look to at least preserve their 3rd spot in the West, which would give them home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

KHL 29 January 2019

29 January 2019

Sibir Novosibirsk vs. Barys Astana

The closest thing to a derby game for Kazakhstan's finest snow leopards takes them to Novosibirsk. Barys still trust their "own" Boeing 737-300 UP-B3717, though its operator has changed its name a while ago. It may well be legitimate to ask questions of these actions, given that the operator Sunkar Air is for example banned from flying into the European Union.

BBK1650 TSE xxxx-1730 OVB B733 UP-B3717 (28/01/19)
BBK1651 OVB 2330-xxxx TSE B733 UP-B3717 (29/01/19)

Metallurg Magnitogorsk vs. SKA St. Petersburg

The top dogs from St. Petersburg are slowing warming up for the playoffs that are coming closer. After some years of using either Rossiya or Aeroflot for their flights, SKA are now suddenly changing over to Yamal Airlines. Signs of the team falling out of favour with the establishments in Moscow?

YC9789 LED xxxx-xxxx MQF A320 (28/01/19)

Salavat Yulaev Ufa vs. Jokerit Helsinki

While a feisty mid-Eastern road trip may not sound like the most welcome proposition to anyone, it may just be the right thing for Jokerit. Coming off a mixed spell at home in Hartwall Areena, they are off to tick all their Mid East boxes, starting with the duel with the Green Men of Bashkortostan in Ufa:

AY7501 HEL 1400-2000 UFA A319 OH-LVL (28/01/19)
AY7503 UFA 2350-0430(+1) OVB A319 OH-LVL (29/01/19)

Ak Bars Kazan vs. Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg

The team of the season so far is facing the champions of 2017-18 at Tatneft Arena. Avto arrived from Magnitogorsk after a sound beating there, with their form nowhere near as good as early on in the season.

MMM9673 MQF 2130-2045 KZN A320 VQ-BIS (27/01/19)

Note that the A320 VQ-BIS has since been ferried out of Kazan and back in again. This seems to be one particularly busy aircraft, also used by other sports teams from Yekaterinburg.

Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk vs. HC Sochi

Both teams are still technically in contention for playoff spots, though Neftekhimik may really only make it if things go badly wrong elsewhere. Sochi are currently on a road trip, that has led them to Tatarstan from Yaroslavl:

IO9432 IAR 1100-xxxx NBC SU95 RA-89075 (28/01/19)

KHL 28 January 2019

28 January 2019

Admiral Vladivostok vs. Amur Khabarovsk

The far-eastern derby kept the referees busy, with major penalties on both sides and even a feisty fight between two players. It would appear though that Amur traveled on scheduled flights, i.e. no special charter flights to report on for this game.

Kunlun Red Star vs. Avangard Omsk

The Chinese franchise is on a desperate mission to hold onto the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Despite a 5-2 home win over the better favored Avangard team, Kunlun may have to be heading for their holidays earlier than they would wish for though. For Avangard it is now a long way "home" to their temporary base outside Moscow:

UT9002 PVG 2330-0415(+1) KJA 0500-0540 VKO B738 (28/01/19)

Severstal Cherepovets vs. Vityaz Podolsk

Vityaz have started their road trip not so far away from home, but will travel way further east to face Traktor Chelyabinsk after the encounter with Severstal.

IO9418 GOJ 1900-2000 CEE SU95 RA-89077 (28/01/19, ferry flt)
IO9419 CEE xxxx-0210(+1) CEK SU95 RA-89077 (28/01/19)

HC Dynamo Moscow vs. Dinamo Riga

Another team just about in playoff contention is Dinamo Riga. They are in a three-way battle with Vityaz and HC Sochi it seems and could do with some vital points against an opponent that was rated way higher by many experts earlier on:

BT7702 LED 1415-1530 VKO B733 YL-BBX (27/01/19)
BT7703 VKO 2330-0055(+1) RIX B733 YL-BBX (28/01/19)

CSKA Moscow vs. Dinamo Minsk

Albeit not yet technically out of the playoff race, it seems certain that Dinamo Minsk's season will see a premature end fairly soon. On the other hand, ever since clinching the playoff berth as the first team in the Western Conference, CSKA is dropping points here there and everywhere.

BRU8742 VKO 0010-0125 MSQ B735 (29/01/19)

KHL 21 January 2019

21 January 2019

HC Dynamo Moscow vs. Severstal Cherepovets

SSF9582 CEE 1555-1650 SVO CRJ2 (20/01/19)

Jokerit Helsinki vs. Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk

IAE9446 NBC 1530-1630 HEL SU95 RA-89075 (20/01/19)

KHL 17 January 2019

17 January 2019

Amur Khabarovsk vs. Jokerit Helsinki

It is a long and winding road they say, from Khabarovsk in Far-Eastern Russia back home to Helsinki for Jokerit. They got some points on the road, but the away loss at Admiral Vladivostok would have been painful:

AY7505 VVO 2350-0110(+1) KHV A319 OH-LVL (15/01/19)
AY7506 KHV 2350-0210(+1) OVB A319 OH-LVL (17/01/19)
AY7506 OVB 0250-2055 HEL A319 OH-LVL (18/01/19)

KHL 15 January 2019

15 January 2019

Admiral Vladivostok vs. Jokerit Helsinki

The Western No. 3 Jokerit is far away from home for a week, playing three games against the opponents they met very early in the season. After a win in China against Kunlun Red Star, the Jesters are now up against the ever struggling Admiral team:

AY7503 PVG 0100-0615 VVO A319 OH-LVL (14/01/19)
AY7505 VVO 2350-0110(+1) KHV A319 OH-LVL (15/01/19)

Amur Khabarovsk vs. Lokomotiv Yaroslavl

Loko is still sitting nicely in the race for play-off home ice and will look to add further points away at the Amur Tigers' rink in Khabarovsk, before heading to Shanghai on the last stage of their Far Eastern road trip:

YC9723 VVO 2220-2320 KHV A320 VP-BCN (13/01/19)
YC9723 KHV 2355-xxxx(+1) PVG A320 VP-BCN (15/01/19)

Kunlun Red Star vs. Severstal Cherepovets

After a stellar 2017-18 season, Severstal has come back to earth. They play their furthest away opponent in Shanghai before heading back across the border again:

4G137 KHV 0040-0215 PVG B737 RA-73000 (14/01/19)