YEKATERINBURG (Interstat) — Lada Togliatti will visit Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg on Wednesday in a Kontinental Hockey League game at KRK Uralets in Uralets Arena. The matchup sends a struggling Lada side against a home club trying to build momentum.

Lada enters with a 1-9-0 record after a 5-4 loss at Dinamo Minsk in its most recent game. The visitors have dropped nine of 10 overall, with their lone win coming in a 4-2 home decision against Dinamo Minsk. Lada has also endured a 5-0 home loss to CSKA Moscow, a 7-3 loss at Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk and a 3-2 overtime loss at Ak Bars Kazan. In the most recent defeat, Andrei Chivilev had a goal and two assists, Nikita Setdikov added a goal and an assist, and Riley Sawchuk also had a goal and an assist.

Setdikov is the player to watch for Lada. The forward recorded a goal, an assist and six shots on goal in the loss at Dinamo Minsk. He also had a goal and an assist in a 4-2 win against Dinamo Minsk earlier in the season and contributed two assists against Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. Lada will need Setdikov to generate scoring chances against an Avtomobilist defense that has been uneven.

Avtomobilist enters at 3-6-0 and is coming off a 4-2 win at Spartak Moscow. Maxim Denezhkin and Ilya Karpukhin each had a goal and an assist in that victory. The home team has shown flashes, including a 5-2 win at Sibir Novosibirsk and a 2-1 home win against Dynamo Moscow, but it has also lost consecutive games at Severstal Cherepovets, Shanghai Dragons and Dinamo Minsk. Avtomobilist dropped a 3-2 overtime decision at Avangard Omsk and fell 3-1 at Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk.

Evgeny Alikin is the player to watch for Avtomobilist. The goaltender made 34 saves on 36 shots in the win at Spartak Moscow. He also stopped 31 of 33 shots in the win at Sibir Novosibirsk and turned aside 36 of 37 shots in the home win against Dynamo Moscow. Alikin has three wins in his last seven starts and gives Avtomobilist a dependable presence in net.

The game is part of a busy stretch for both clubs. Lada will continue its road trip after this matchup, while Avtomobilist is set for more games at Uralets Arena. Special teams and goaltending could be important, with Lada trying to end its slide and Avtomobilist aiming to string together wins.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a final score of Avtomobilist 3, Lada 0.