Challenge accepted

OFFICIALS
Referees: Sergei Gusev (Serov), Eduard Odins (Riga, Latvia)
Linesmen: Yevgeni Petrov (Omsk), Konstantin Chubykin (Moscow).

OPPONENT
AK BARS Kazan
Founded in: 1956
Arena: Tatneft Arena, capacity – 8774
Achievements: 2-time Gagarin Cup winner (2009, 2010), 2-time Russian Superleague champion (1998, 2006), 3-time Russian Superleague runner-up (2000, 2002, 2007), Russian Superleague bronze medalist (2004), European Champions Cup winner (2007), KHL Kontinent Cup winner (2008), Continental Cup bronze medalist (1999)
Last season finish: 10th place
Head coach: Zinetula Bilyaletdinov
Team colors: green, white, red
Team captain: Aleksandr Svitov
MHL team: Irbis
Website (in Russian): http://www.ak-bars.ru/
Roster (in Russian): http://www.ak-bars.ru/team/

CURRENT REGULAR SEASON, TRAKTOR vs. AK BARS
Games played: 49 vs. 50
Points: 70 vs. 102
Goals scored: 119 vs. 144
Goals allowed: 131 vs. 100
Shots: 1451 vs. 1582
Shots efficiency%: 8.20 vs. 9.10
PP%: 16.8 vs. 18.3
PK%: 86.0 vs. 78.6
PIM: 524 vs. 554

TEAM LEADERS, TRAKTOR vs. AK BARS
Goaltenders: Michael Garnett (30 GP, 14 W, GAA 2.29, svs% 92.2) vs. Anders Nilsson (31 GP, 16 W, GAA 1.78, svs% 93.5)
Points: Anton Glinkin (37) vs. Justin Azevedo (44)
Goals: Andrei Popov (17) vs. Mikhail Varnakov (17)
Assists: Anton Glinkin (24) vs. Justin Azevedo (28)
D-men points: Deron Quint (23) vs. Ilya Nikulin (25)
+/-: Konstantin Panov (7) vs. Vladimir Denisov (23), Justin Azevedo (23)
Shots: Konstantin Panov (118) vs. Oscar Möller (151)
FO win%: Francis Pare (58.4) vs. Aleksandr Svitov (59.4)
Average TOI: Deron Quint (23:00) vs. Ilya Nikulin (19:37)
Hits: Jan Bulis (92) vs. Vladimir Denisov (189)
Shots blocked: Maksim Kondratyev (69) vs. Vladimir Denisov (61)
Most PIM: Yevgeni Katichev (48), Jan Bulis (48) vs. Kirill Petrov (39)

5 LATEST AK BARS GAMES
January 12 (a) vs. Salavat Yulaev, 3:5 (1:1, 0:2, 2:2). Ak Bars goals: Azevedo (Denisov, Koltsov), Mirnov (Zakharchuk, Obukhov), Varnakov (Korneyev, Kostitsyn).
January 16 (h) vs. Avtomobilist, 1:3 (1:0, 0:2, 0:1). Ak Bars goal: Denisov (Lukoyanov).
January 18 (a) vs. Metallurg Magnitogorsk, 1:3 (0:0, 1:0, 0:3). Ak Bars goal: Obukhov (Petrov).
January 22 (h) vs. Metallurg Magnitogorsk, 3:0 (0:0, 1:0, 2:0). Ak Bars goals: Varnakov (Azevedo), Vrana (Denisov, Obukhov), Azevedo.
January 28 (h) vs. Yugra, 3:1 (2:0, 0:0, 1:1). Ak Bars goals: Möller (Denisov, Varnakov), Varnakov (Möller), Burmistrov (Mirnov, Brookbank).

HEAD-TO-HEAD MATCHES STATS, TRAKTOR vs. AK BARS

Total:
39 games played
10 Traktor wins in regulation
3 Traktor wins in OT
3 Traktor wins in shootouts
13 Ak Bars wins in regulation
6 Ak Bars wins in OT
3 Ak Bars wins in shootouts
1 draw
Goals scored: 86 vs. 108

In Chelyabinsk:
19 games played
5 Traktor wins in regulation
1 Traktor win in OT
3 Traktor wins in shootouts
5 Ak Bars wins in regulation
2 Ak Bars wins in OT
2 Ak Bars wins in shootouts
1 draw
Goals scored: 44 vs. 50

In Kazan:
20 games played
5 Traktor wins in regulation
2 Traktor wins in OT
8 Ak Bars wins in regulation
4 Ak Bars wins in OT
1 Ak Bars win in shootouts
Goals scored: 42 vs. 58