CHEREPOVETS, Russia (Interstat) — A struggling SKA Saint Petersburg squad faces a formidable road test Wednesday against the Kontinental Hockey League’s surging Severstal Cherepovets.

The game at Ice Palace pits two teams on vastly different trajectories. The visiting SKA arrives with a 9-11-0 record across all competitions, while the home side Severstal boasts a dominant 21-9-0 mark.

SKA, coming off a 3-2 overtime loss to Red Star Kunlun on Oct. 1, has shown recent signs of life. The team earned a decisive 4-1 road victory over CSKA Moscow on Nov. 24, part of a stretch where they have won four of their last six contests.

Severstal, however, has been one of the league’s hottest teams. They are riding a five-game winning streak, most recently shutting out Lada Togliatti 2-0 on Nov. 23. Goaltender Alexander Samoilov was perfect in that contest, stopping all 23 shots he faced, while forward Nikolai Chebykin provided a goal.

The matchup presents a stark contrast in season performance. Severstal will look to continue its winning ways and solidify its standing, while SKA aims to build on its recent improved form and pull its record back to .500.

Following this contest, SKA continues its road trip at Ak Bars Kazan on Nov. 28. Severstal remains at home to host Lokomotiv Yaroslavl on the same date.