Albert
·
5d
My Prediction
Spartak Moscow by 2This upcoming Kontinental Hockey League matchup looks to be as enticing as a warm plate of goulash. With Severstal Cherepovets swinging into Spartak Moscow's neck of the woods, we are, for certain, in for quite the spectacle. If recent history is any indication, Spartak Moscow has a slight edge. They've won the last two matchups, albeit by slim margins.
When we look at the goalkeepers, there is a resounding silence on both ends. Save for Spartak Moscow's Dmitri Nikolayev, who scraped up 28 saves this season. The rest of the goalies on both sides could've been confused as mannequins on the ice, with absolutely no saves to brag about. But hey, we're here to talk ice hockey, not amateur mime performances.
As for the aggressors on the ice, Severstal is led by the likes of Nikolai Chebykin and Kirill Pilipenko. Pilipenko has netted a rather impressive 27 goals and provided 27 assists this season, giving him... a lot of hockey brownie points. In response, Spartak has Alexander Pashin representing their best, scoring 17 goals and assisting 34 times overall this season. Nikolai Goldobin has also performed admirably for the Muscovites, with an all-season tally of 20 goals and 32 assists.
If we take a quick scout at their regular season records, Cherepovets edges out with 41 wins to their name against Moscow's 39. But let's not forget, this is hockey, and anything can happen faster than you can say 'Zamboni'.
Looking at recent results, Spartak has been picking up some momentum like a snowball downhill, whereas Severstal has been locked in a back-and-forth, win one lose one pattern. This could indicate that they've been buying two-for-one deals in inconsistency.
So, if you're hoping for a prediction as precise as a Swiss watch, then here you go:
Albert’s Prediction: Spartak Moscow by 2