MOSCOW (Interstat) — A crucial Moscow derby awaits on Sunday as Spartak visits CSKA in a Kontinental Hockey League clash at CSKA Ice Palace, with both teams seeking consistency as the season progresses.

Spartak (20-19-0) holds the superior record, but arrives after a 4-3 shootout loss to Red Star Kunlun on Wednesday. CSKA (17-22-0), despite a losing record, earned a 3-2 overtime win against Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod on Thursday to snap a three-game skid.

The season series favors Spartak, which has won both prior meetings. Spartak earned a 6-5 shootout victory here on Sept. 16 and a 3-2 home win on Oct. 28.

A key player to watch is Spartak forward Mikhail Maltsev, who enters on a hot streak. He recorded two goals and an assist in the recent loss to Kunlun and has three goals in his last five games. His physical, two-way play will be central to Spartak’s efforts.

For CSKA, offensive catalyst Denis Guryanov aims to build on his overtime-winning goal against Torpedo. He has points in two of his last three games (1 goal, 1 assist) and remains a primary scoring threat for a team that has struggled to find offense, suffering three shutout losses in its last ten contests.

Spartak’s form has been uneven, mixing resilient road wins at SKA St. Petersburg with frustrating losses to lower-ranked opponents. CSKA has similarly struggled for momentum, with its victory over Torpedo marking only its fourth win in the last ten outings.

The matchup pits Spartak’s slightly more potent attack against a CSKA squad that has found goals hard to come by. The intensity of the intracity rivalry often negates regular season standings, promising a physical and tightly contested affair.

Following this game, CSKA will host Dynamo Moscow on Tuesday. Spartak’s next contest is at Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod on Jan. 4. The two derby rivals will meet again at CSKA Ice Palace on Jan. 11.