ASTANA, Kazakhstan (Interstat) — Two teams mired at the bottom of the Kontinental Hockey League standings will seek a rare victory when the Shanghai Dragons visit Barys Astana on Friday.

The matchup at Barys Arena features clubs with a combined 38 wins this season. Shanghai, officially Red Star Kunlun, sits at 20-34 across all competitions, while the home side is 18-39. Both are well outside the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

The game offers a chance for one squad to halt a prolonged slump. Shanghai has lost five straight, including a 4-3 overtime defeat to Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod on Feb. 18. Their last victory was a 6-2 win over HC Sochi on Jan. 26. Barys has also struggled, coming off a 3-2 overtime loss to Metallurg Magnitogorsk on Feb. 17. Their recent form includes just two wins in their last 10 outings.

A key player to watch for Shanghai is defenseman Jake Bischoff. While the team has struggled, Bischoff has been active, recording at least one shot on goal and one hit in four of his last five games. For Barys, forward Tyce Thompson has provided a recent spark, scoring goals in two of his last three contests. He had a goal and five shots in the overtime loss to Metallurg.

Historically, the teams have split results this season. Shanghai’s most recent game listed was a 3-2 overtime win at SKA Saint Petersburg on Oct. 1, 2025. The teams will meet again in Shanghai on March 8.

Following this contest, Barys will host Severstal Cherepovets on Sunday. Shanghai continues its road trip at CSKA Moscow on Feb. 27.

Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. local time (1230 GMT) in Astana.