Welcome. Game starts at 13:00 GMT / 14:00 CET.

Severstal Cherepovets are 3rd in Tarasov Division with 56 points in 37 games and in a good position to reach this year's Gagarin Cup playoffs. On the other side guests Spartak Moscow are not only 7th in Tarasov Division but at the bottom of the whole Western Conference.

Severstal won three of their last four matches, receiving the only loss at home against bottom side Dinamo Riga (2-4). After a negative trend for several weeks, Spartak at least gained three points in their last three games of which two were decided in the shootout but most recently lost on the road against Dinamo Minsk (0-3).

The topscorers of Severstal are Vadim Shipachyov (26 pts), Yevgeni Ketov (19 pts), Alexander Ryazantsev (13 pts) and Vadim Berdnikov (11 pts). Spartak has no player who really shines but they have several forwards at the same level like Stefan Ruzicka (14 pts) along with Mikhail Yunkov and Branko Radivojevic (both 13 pts).

When both teams met for the first time this season Spartak earned a win at home against Severstal (3-2 OT) in early October. Today the favourites are Severstal though.

Starting lineups:

Severstal Cherepovets: Koshechkin (Zaitsev) - Laakso, Kiselevich, Caslava, Ryazantsev, Yegorshev, Andersen, Stasenko, Popov - Ketov, Kazionov, Shipachyov, Berdnikov, Kazakovtsev, Stolyarov, Bergfors, Medvedev, Zemchenko, Fedoseyev, Alexeyev, Dedunov

Spartak Moscow: Yakhin (Suchkov) - Shchitov, Zheldakov, Bodrov, Obsut, Mamkin, Morrisonn, Shefer - Ruzicka, Bushuyev, Petrov, Yunkov, Suglobov, Radivojevic, Nikontsev, Zhukov, Ankudinov, Romanovsky, Denezhkin, Medvedev

Referees: Vasilyev, Odins - Mikhayevich, Nesterov

Shot by Severstal from the left wing but save by Yakhin.

The Spartak net has been pushed out of position. There is a break now.

Counter attack by Severstal. After the first shot gets blocked the rebound goes wide.

Yakhin is there with a save in the corner.

Fast attack by the hosts but Yakhin is there with a block to the side.

Now a nice attack by Spartak but the defense is there to clear the situation.

Severstal over the right wing but the following backhander goes wide.

A one-timer from the blue line by Spartak is blocked by Severstal goalie Koshechkin.

A last one-man-rush by Spartak in this period but Mikhail Zhukov's back hander is no danger for the Severstal goalie.

A first good combination by Severstal in the middle period but in the end one of their forwards doesn't come out of the offside in time.

One-timer from the blue line by Spartak, goes wide.

Double chance for Spartak, the first one from teh blue line, the second shot from a half right position but both times either the Severstal defense or their goalie Koshechkin are there.

Fast attack by Spartak. The following shot from the left wing is no problem for Koshechkin.

A Spartak attack almost leads to a break away for Severstal but a defender of the guests is there in the last moment.

It's an even game now with chances on both sides but off course Severstal with the two goal advantage have the better arguments on their side.

First Severstal has a nice scoring chance and then in the following counter attack it is Spartak - but both teams fail to score.

Severstal twice with the wrap-around try but both times a defender stands in the way.

Severstal with the short-distance shot but it is blocked by Yakhin.

And that's it for Alexei Yakhin. The Spartak goalie left the ice and now in the net is Pavel Suchkov.

Counter attack by Severstal but the defense can stop them.

Another blue line shot by Spartak that is far from dangerous...

Spartak wtih a short from a half left position, goes wide...

Quite a good chance here for Severstal but Suchkov is there on time to cover up the puck in front of his own goal...

Hard shot from the left wing by Severstal but still an easy save for Suchkov.

Severstal are defending their lead well while Spartak have almost no chances...

Shot from the side by the Spartak offense, easy save by Koshechkin.

As only around eight minutes are left, it is not very likely that we'll see a huge Spartak comeback here anymore...

Wow. A very nice solo run by Spartak forward Mikhail Zhukov that started in the guest zone and was finished with a back hander in front of Koshechkin in the Severstal net... !

A very hard shot is blocked to the side in the last moment by Spartak goalie Suchkov with a little jump.

Easy save for Severstal goalie Koshechkin from a close distance.

Teemu Laakso with a blue line shot for Severstal but good pad save by Spartak goalie Suchkov.

Last minute of regulation started.