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)