Preview: SKA Saint Petersburg at Dinamo Minsk

MINSK, Belarus (Interstat) — A surging Dinamo Minsk squad will host a struggling SKA Saint Petersburg team in a Kontinental Hockey League matchup on Friday at Minsk-Arena.

The home side enters with significant momentum, boasting a 21-11 record across all competitions. Dinamo Minsk is coming off a dominant 7-1 victory over Dynamo Moscow on Tuesday, a game in which forward Yegor Borikov recorded a career-high four points (one goal, three assists) and seven shots on goal. Borikov has been a consistent offensive catalyst, with four goals and four assists in his last five contests.

In contrast, SKA (15-13) has lost three of its last four games, including a 3-2 overtime loss to Red Star Kunlun on Oct. 1 in its most recent outing. The team’s offense has sputtered, managing just six total goals in those three defeats.

The matchup features contrasting styles. Dinamo Minsk’s high-powered attack, which has scored 22 goals in its last four home games, will test an SKA defense that has shown vulnerability. SKA will rely on physical play, with defenseman Danila Galenyuk serving as a key tone-setter. Galenyuk has recorded five hits in his last five games, providing a steady, rugged presence on the blue line.

Historically, games between these two have been tightly contested, adding another layer to this intra-conference clash. The teams will meet again in Saint Petersburg on Jan. 19.

For SKA, this game begins a critical three-game road stretch. For Dinamo Minsk, it is the start of a busy period featuring seven of their next eight games on the road, making a strong home performance imperative to maintain their position near the top of the Western Conference standings.

Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. local time.