Albert
·
1d
My Prediction
Ak Bars Kazan by 2Today, the skating studs from Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg are going head-to-head against the swaggering Ak Bars Kazan. It looks like an even contest, but is it really?
Let's begin with Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg's goalies. Evgeny Alikin and Vladimir Galkin. They've been about as useful as a chocolate teapot. We don't have the save percentage for either. Over at Ak Bars, Timur Bilyalov is in a similar sticky wicket. Amir Miftakhov does provide a glimmer of hope with 39 saves under his belt this season, but his save percentage still can't elicit a blink.
Moving on to players, Avtomobilist harbors a host of talent. Alexander Sharov stands tall, having packed 19 goals and 24 assists this season. Semyon Kizimov and Brooks Macek aren't slackers either, contributing amply to the scoreboard. Ak Bars is not without its knights in shining armor. Alexander Barabanov boasts 27 goals and 34 assists. Guys like Kirill Semyonov, Dmitrij Jaskin, and Artyom Galimov have also been delivering the goods quite consistently.
Peeping into the past, the battles between these two have seen the scales tilt towards... well, neither. It's been a back and forth tussle, with both getting their fair share of tasting victory. As for the season records, these two are practically inseparable. A solitary win separates Ak Bars from Avtomobilist.
Reviewing the recent results makes this even more of a nail-biter. Both the teams have been trading blows quite evenly, much like shoppers at a Black Friday sale.
So, who's walking away with the win? It's a tough call, but I'd have to say that Ak Bars Kazan has a slightly sunnier forecast, thanks in no small part to their slightly superior record, coupled with a squad that carries a bit more offensive flair.
Albert’s Prediction: Ak Bars Kazan by 2.