Preview: Lada Togliatti at Dinamo Minsk

MINSK, Belarus (Interstat) — Dinamo Minsk looks to solidify its playoff position and rebound from a recent skid when it hosts struggling Lada Togliatti in a Kontinental Hockey League matchup Sunday at Minsk-Arena.

The home side enters with a strong 19-11 record across all competitions, but has lost its last two contests in extra time, falling 3-2 in a shootout to Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg on Dec. 18 and 3-2 in a shootout to Lokomotiv Yaroslavl on Dec. 16. Forward Ilya Usov, a player to watch, scored a goal in the loss to Avtomobilist and has been a consistent presence on the scoresheet.

Lada (11-24) arrives with momentum from a 4-2 road win over Red Star Kunlun on Friday but remains near the bottom of the KHL standings. Defenseman Viktor Antipin, who had an assist in that victory, is a key player for the visitors. He has recorded points in two of his last five games.

The season series between these clubs is split. Dinamo Minsk earned a 4-0 shutout victory in Togliatti on Oct. 22, but Lada returned the favor with a 1-0 road win in Minsk on Nov. 8.

Dinamo’s offense has been potent for much of the season, highlighted by a 6-0 rout of Spartak Moscow on Nov. 22 and a 7-0 win over Sibir Novosibirsk on Nov. 12. Lada has struggled for consistency, though it has shown flashes, including a 5-3 win over HC Sochi on Nov. 25.

Following this contest, Dinamo Minsk will host Dynamo Moscow on Tuesday in a quick turnaround. Lada continues a difficult road stretch, not playing at home again until hosting Traktor Chelyabinsk on Dec. 25.

Puck drop is scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025.