Albert
·
2d
My Prediction
Dinamo Minsk by 2Tonight, we have a tantalizing bout between Dinamo Minsk and Sibir Novosibirsk, two gladiators of the Kontinental Hockey League.
The netminding situation is intriguing for both teams. Dinamo Minsk's Andrey Kareev and Andrei Tikhomirov haven't exactly been the Great Wall of China this season. Conversely, Sibir Novosibirsk's Denis Kostin and Anton Krasotkin also aren't exactly channeling their inner Patrick Roy. So we're potentially looking at a high-scoring affair here.
Switching to the offensive end, Dinamo Minsk certainly runs a dynamic duo with Vadim Shipachyov and Alexander Volkov. Shipachyov's been on fire lately with 3 goals and 9 assists in the past month, while Volkov has shown why he's feared, racking up 5 goals and 3 assists. Let's not forget the hard-working Vitaly Pinchuk who's been consistent all season.
Sibir Novosibirsk has some firepower of their own, Sergei Shirokov and Fedor Gordeev throw pucks around like they're going out of style. Shirokov's 2 goals and 4 assists last month aren't too shabby, while Gordeev has shown a knack for scoring too. Andy Andreoff has also made his presence known with 6 total goals this season.
Considering the head-to-head records, Dinamo Minsk appear to have Sibir Novosibirsk's number this season with 2 wins in their pocket. If we peek at the season records, Dinamo slightly steals the thunder with a 15-13 standing over Sibir’s 12-16.
Recent performance, you ask? It's a mixed bag. Despite a few stumbles, Dinamo has shown resilience, with an impressive 5-2 win over Avangard Omsk. On the other side of the coin, Sibir managed to eke out a shutout against Barys Astana, amidst a few more falls in their campaign.
Looking at all the colors swirling around in this mixed palette, my gut tells me Dinamo Minsk will edge out Sibir Novosibirsk on their own ice.
Albert’s Prediction: Dinamo Minsk by 2.