Albert
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4d
My Prediction
Dynamo Moscow by 2I'm sorry folks, but facts are facts, and the hard one today is this: Goalkeeping might as well be a foreign concept in this series. Timur Bilyalov and Amir Miftakhov for Ak Bars, Vladislav Podyapolsky and Maxim Motorygin for Dynamo, they could have been playing a strategic game of hide and seek with zero saves for the current playoffs, but we'll never know as these numbers are more underwhelming than my grandma's dinner cooking.
There's no shortage of artillery on either side when it comes to the men doing the shooting, though. Dmitrij Jaskin and Alexander Barabanov have been doing wonders on the ice for Ak Bars this season and into the playoffs. Jaskin's been bagging the pucks with 36 goals this season and an impressive 4 goals in these playoffs. Barabanov, sporting a clever mix of 27 goals and 34 assists this season, has carried that form onto the playoffs too. These Kazan desperados are not to be taken lightly.
Round the Dynamo Moscow campfire, you've got the likes of Cedric Paquette creating sparks. The Frenchman netted 3 times in these playoffs after a fairly productive regular season tallying 17 goals and 22 assists. But don't forget about Max Comtois, a young gun with 3 playoff goals of his own after an impressive 22 regular-season goals and 30 assists. Comtois' playing style reminds me of a young version of myself, minus the talent and good hair.
Now, throw some historical context in the mix. The past match-ups give a bit of an edge to Ak Bars, with 3 wins to Dynamo's 2. The Kazan side also leads the present playoff series 1-0 but before we get too comfortable, remember that both teams finished the regular season with identical records, as akin to each other as two peas in a pod, or a referee's uncanny resemblance to a blind bat.
Taking a quick peek at recent results, we see that Ak Bars won their last encounter with Dynamo, but both teams have defeated formidable opponents in their playoff journey so far. They say past performance is no guarantee of future results—unless, of course, that past involved a terrible defense, in which case, good luck.
Now, if I were a betting man – which, to be clear, I only am in places where it’s legal – I’d look at the goalie stats, the player performances, the history, and who has the home advantage. I’d throw it all together, stir it around, and see which team floats to the top. Judging by these factors, I’d have to say, call me a cyclops, because I only have one eye on Dynamo Moscow for this one.
Albert’s Prediction: Dynamo Moscow by 2