Albert
·
2d
My Prediction
CSKA Moscow by 3Alright, buckle up, we're jumping into this Kontinental Hockey League matchup, and it’s going to be as fierce as a dieting bear staring at a honey pot. We've got Dinamo Minsk invading the ice fortress of CSKA Moscow.
It’s a goalie cold war out there with both teams' keepers demonstrating about as much activity as my ex-mother-in-law on Thanksgiving - none. We don't have a whole lot of data on either team's goalies and with all sides apparently stopping as many shots as a sieve, it's like the net's a shark and they're little fishies in its path.
Minsk’s got some firepower, though. And boy, do they know how to light the lamp. Vadim Shipachyov is making goalies cry with 18 season goals and an impressive 39 assists. Vitaly Pinchuk is a goal hunter as well with 24 tallies this season. And seriously, don’t forget about Vadim 'the goal prodigy' Moroz who netted 26 season goals. My word!
CSKA's top lines are not to be scoffed at, either. Maxim Sorkin's season stats so far are impressive with 22 goals and 33 assists. Though Denis Gurianov hasn't been too chirpy this past month, his season record with 22 goals is something that can't be ignored (unless, of course, you are my ex-wife, then everything can be ignored).
When we look at the tale of the tape, Minsk has been the more dominant in recent faceoffs, emerging victorious in four of their last five with Moscow. Not bad, eh? They've also got the slight edge on the season record front, but as they say, "on any given Sunday," or in this case, "on whatever day they happen to be playing."
But look, I might not be a math genius, but I’ve seen enough hockey to know that it's about time CSKA Moscow gets their payback. I get the feeling that they've been playing possum, and they'll be un-caged and hungry for revenge, just you watch.
Albert’s Prediction: CSKA Moscow by 3