Dinamo with a long pass into the Ak Bars zone, they don't get close to the guest net.

Almost a Dinamo player gets the puck at the second post but he misses it!

Now also the guests from Kazan take a timeout.

Timeout Dinamo.

Next dangerous attack by Ak Bars but this time the shot was blocked by a defender.

Haugen clears the puck with his stick just before an opponent could get it but he almost scored into his own goal!

Goal scorer Golubev with a shot from the right wing, not that dangerous for Haugen.

Next chance for Dinamo, this time it is Alexander Kulakov who is stopped by Barulin. Dinamo are now absolutely back in controll of the game.

Teemu Laine received the puck in the neutral zone, skated into the Ak Bars zone and tried it with a distance shot immediately. No danger for Barulin.

Alexander Kulakov with a shot from the left wing, into the gloves of Barulin.

Counter by Ak Bars over the right wing but the last cross pass in front of Haugen was not precise enough and the chance is gone.

The Dinamo fans are supporting their team very well despite the shock of the goal against! Depending on the result of the Donbass-Slovan game, Dinamo could make the playoffs already this evening with a win over Kazan.

The game has lost a lot of its class at the start of the third period. Can only become better until the end of it.

Both teams need a lot of time to get closer to the opponents' zone. They don't want to risk anything at this point of the match.

Shot by Geoff Platt from the left wing, easy save by Barulin.

Ak Bars are back at full strength.

Already the first big opporunity for Dinamo but somehow Barulin blocked the shot by Irgl and then avoided a rebound to go in.

Nikulin with one of the rare goal scoring efforts by Kazan in the last 10 minutes but his shot from the blue line, at height of the left wing, is stopped easily.

Long cross-pass towards the second post by Alexander Kulakov but Dmitry Melshko's shot only went into the gloves of Barulin.

Barulin, laying on his back, with heavy problems to keep the puck outside of his net after a long-distance shot.

Ak Bars are back at full strength and are lucky that they didn't get a goal against in the recent shorthanded play.

This time it was Krajicek who tried it from the blue line, glove save by Barulin.

Murphy from the blue line, into the gloves of Barulin.

Fast attack by the hosts, Platt left the puck for a team colleague whose shot went wide...

Nice combination by the Dinamo offense but in the end Barulin makes the save but Laine also stood in the goal area.

Two dangerous shots by the Dinamo forwards before an Ak Bars defender clears the situation.

And the guests continue with their pressure, almost had another goal.

Back hander by Konstantin Korneyev but the angle was a bit too sharp and Haugen had no problems to make the glove save.

Hard shot by Dinamo from the left wing, goes wide.

Lars Haugen covered the puck up after a good Ak Bars opportunity before the guests could get it back.

Ak Bars are back at full strength.

From only half a metre distance a Dinamo forward just missed the net!! What a chance for the hosts!

Zherdev with a nice solo run into the Dinamo zone, is stopped by a defender in the last minute.

Almost the counter chance for Meleshko but the pass was a bit too long for him and in the left corner he lost the puck...

Blue line shot by Dinamo past the net.

After Ak Bars failed with their shot on goal, Alexander Kitarov received the puck at the left wing just seconds after he was allowed to come back on the ice but his shot just found the gloves of Barulin.

Double chance for Ak Bars. First a forward was stopped with his one-timer close to the goal and then Ilya Nikulin tried it from the blue line, his shot was also stopped.

Another good scoring opportunity for Dinamo but Barulin blocks the shot to the side.

The guests are trying to find back into the match but Dinamo are the more aggressive side.

Ak Bars can free themselves a bit from the Dinamo pressure after several dangerous shot on goal by the hosts.

Teemu Laine with a shot from the left wing, no danger for Barulin. During his shot he crashed into Denis Kulyash and both players had a little conversation. Not the first time in this match that two players have an argument. They all know about the importance of this game.

Tim Stapleton with a shot from the blue line, at the height of the left wing, into the gloves of Barulin.

Dmitry Melshko with a shot from the left side after a won face off but it is stopped by guest goalie Barulin.

Both teams with a good start into the game, don't hide themselves and look for the goal from the begin.

Starting lineups:

Dinamo Minsk: Haugen (Kovalyov) - Karalahti, Denisov, Krajicek, Niskala, Murphy, Chernook, Nogachyov - Mikhalyov, Platt, Stapleton, Irgl, Hirschovits, Laine, Kulakov, Meleshko, Kitarov, Lopachuk, Drozd, Pivko

Ak Bars Kazan: Barulin (Perevozchikov) - Nikulin, Korneyev, Kulyash, Panin, Zakharchuk, Khomitsky, Yarullin - Zaripov, Kapanen, Morozov, Pesonen, Immonen, Obukhov, Tereshchenko, Petrov, Zherdev, Bodrov, Golubev, Lukoyanov

Referees: Bukin, Zakharov - Metalnikov, Sirotkin

Dinamo Minsk are 8th in Western Conference with 71 points after 50 games. They are deep in the fight for the playoffs with heavy competition by the 9th Donbass Donetsk (69 pts) and 10th Atlant Moscow Oblast (67 pts) and still need every point. Today's guests Ak Bars Kazan have still chances for the Eastern Conferece title. With their 98 points they lay four points behind Conference leaders Avangard Omsk who earlier today lost at home against SKA St. Petersburg (3-4 SO).

Dinamo have won 5 of their last 7 matches, including wins on the road against direct competitors Lev Prague and Slovan Bratislava. Ak Bars on the other side ended a four-game losing streak in the last match with a 2-0 away win against Severstal Cherepovets.

The topscores of Dinamo Minsk are Tim Stapleton (37 pts), Teemu Laine (33 pts), Cory Murphy (29 pts), Geoff Platt (28 pts) and Zbynek Irgl (25 pts). Ak Bars Kazan have Danis Zaripov and Alexei Morozov (both 36 pts), Ilya Nikulin (32 pts), Alexei Tereshchenko, Jarkko Immonen and Niko Kapanen (all 29 pts).

If Dinamo Minsk get another big step towards the playoff qualification or if Ak Bars Kazan can cut the gap towards the first place in the East, we'll see very soon.

Welcome. Game starts at 16:00 GMT / 17:00 CET.