MAGNITOGORSK, Russia (Interstat) — The struggling Barys Astana (11-19) face a formidable challenge on Saturday when they visit the powerhouse Metallurg Magnitogorsk (23-8) in a Kontinental Hockey League matchup at Arena Metallurg.

The game is a stark contrast in fortunes. Metallurg sits near the top of the league standings, while Barys is mired near the bottom. The season series has been one-sided, with Metallurg winning decisively in both prior meetings: 5-1 at home on Sept. 18 and 4-1 in Astana on Nov. 9.

Both teams are looking to rebound from losses on Thursday. Barys fell 7-4 to Salavat Yulaev Ufa despite a two-goal effort from forward Max Willman. Metallurg saw a seven-game point streak snapped in a 3-1 home loss to Avangard Omsk. Forward Sergei Tolchinsky scored Metallurg’s lone goal in the defeat.

Barys has shown recent flashes of competitiveness, including an overtime win against HC Sochi and a shutout victory over Lokomotiv Yaroslavl earlier this month. Replicating that success against a dominant Metallurg squad on the road has proven difficult. Metallurg has lost only three times in regulation at home this season.

The game is set for 7:00 PM local time.