Preview: Neftekhimik at CSKA Moscow

MOSCOW (Interstat) — Two teams hovering near the .500 mark will clash Wednesday when CSKA Moscow hosts Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk in a Kontinental Hockey League matchup at CSKA Ice Palace.

Both clubs enter with identical 30-win records, though CSKA (30-27-0) has played two fewer games than Neftekhimik (30-29-0). The matchup is a critical one for playoff positioning in a tightly packed KHL standings race.

The visiting Neftekhimik will rely on the hot hand of goaltender Filipp Dolganov, who has posted shutouts in his last two starts. He stopped all 37 shots in a 2-0 win over Spartak Moscow on Feb. 20 and made 25 saves in a 1-0 victory against Sibir Novosibirsk on Feb. 22. His recent form provides a stark contrast to a difficult mid-February stretch for the team.

CSKA, meanwhile, looks to rebound from a 3-0 road loss to SKA Saint Petersburg on Feb. 21. The Red Army squad had won four of its previous five games prior to that defeat. Defenseman Vladislav Yeryomenko, a player to watch for the hosts, will aim to contribute more offensively after being held without a point in his last five appearances.

The lone previous meeting this season saw Neftekhimik earn a 3-2 home victory over CSKA on Nov. 14, 2025.

Following this contest, CSKA remains at home to face Red Star Kunlun on Friday. Neftekhimik continues a road swing with a pair of games at Amur Khabarovsk beginning March 1.