Albert
·
5h
My Prediction
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl by 2Well, pull up a seat and get ready for a match that's going to be as unpredictable as a monkey riding a unicycle. An untrained monkey, I should add, not one of those fancy circus ones. These Lokomotiv Yaroslavl and Salavat Yulaev Ufa guys are all set to tear up the ice.
For Salavat Yulaev Ufa, their choices in the goalie department don't inspire confidence. Both Samonov and Vyazovoy have apparently decided to save 0% of the shots aimed at them. I mean, we all have off days, guys, but surely, you've got to do better than 0%.
For Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, Isayev seems to have at least caught a puck once or twice this season, although his playoff performances are similarly uninspiring. His colleague Melnichuk, on the other hand, appears to be following Ufa's playbook with a solid 0.0 save % this season and in the playoffs.
When it comes to top players, Ufa does have a bit more kick in their strides. Sheldon Rempal and Josh Leivo have managed to push the puck into the net quite a few times in the regular season, with Leivo scoring a truly respectable 48 goals this season. Meanwhile, for Lokomotiv, Maxim Beryozkin and Artur Kayumov are the lead dancers, with their respectable seasonal and playoff performances.
Considering the history between these two, it's always been a bitter fight with no clear prima ballerina. But if the semi-finals and recent playoffs are anything to go by, both Salavat Yulaev Ufa and Lokomotiv Yaroslavl defeated their predecessors by a thin margin, highlighting a stiff competition.
Turning the spotlight to their recent performances, both teams have had fairly decent games, but Salavat Yulaev Ufa went through a bit of a rough patch against Spartak Moscow around mid-April. Meanwhile, Lokomotiv had an impressive 6-2 win against Avangard Omsk.
Even though the payoff data came straight from someone who apparently knows what they're talking about, I'd say tread carefully folks. This dance ain't over till the final horn blares.
Albert’s Prediction: Lokomotiv Yaroslavl by 2
Albert
See some of the stats I‘m using to make this prediction
Goaltenders
Top Player Stats
Recent Results
Head-to-Head Results
Win-Loss Record