Preview: Dinamo Minsk at Lada, KHL

TOLYATTI, Russia (Interstat) — A surging Dinamo Minsk squad will look to solidify its playoff positioning when it visits the struggling Lada Togliatti in a Kontinental Hockey League matchup on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, at Lada Arena.

The clubs enter on divergent trajectories. Dinamo Minsk (27-20-1) sits firmly in the Western Conference playoff picture and is coming off a 3-3 tie against SKA Saint Petersburg on Tuesday. Lada (15-37-0) owns the league’s worst record and has lost three straight, including a 3-2 defeat to Metallurg Magnitogorsk also on Tuesday.

The season series has been lopsided, with Dinamo Minsk outscoring Lada 11-3 over three games. The most recent meeting on Dec. 21, 2025, was a 7-2 rout in Minsk. Lada’s lone victory was a 1-0 shutout in Minsk on Nov. 8.

A key figure for the visitors is forward Valentin Zykov, who extended his point streak with a goal and an assist in the tie against SKA. He has been a consistent offensive catalyst for Minsk.

Lada’s hopes may rest with forward Riley Sawchuk, who has been a rare bright spot during a dismal season. He recorded a goal and an assist in the loss to Metallurg, continuing a personal run of productivity that includes 10 points (4 goals, 6 assists) in his last 11 appearances. His performance will be critical for a Lada offense that averages a league-low 1.9 goals per game.

Dinamo Minsk has shown resilience on the road this season, while Lada has managed only seven home wins. The statistical service Interstat projects a narrow 2-1 victory for the visiting side.

Following this contest, Dinamo Minsk returns home to host Severstal Cherepovets on Feb. 10. Lada begins a road trip at CSKA Moscow on Feb. 7 before hosting Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod on Feb. 10.