SKA St. Petersburg vs Shanghai Dragons Prediction 20 March 2026

SKA, after a five-game winning streak, have suffered two consecutive defeats. This week, the "Army Men" couldn't handle Traktor (1-2) and Sibir (1-4). In the first match, Mikhail Grigorenko, familiar to Sergei Plotnikov and his teammates, scored twice against the St. Petersburg side. In the second game, the in-form "Snowmen" capitalized on two power plays. On average, SKA players score 2.87 goals per game (3.06 goals on home ice). Defensively, since Leonid Tambiev joined the coaching staff, the team have been solid, conceding an average of 2.34 goals per match. Currently, the St. Petersburg team sit sixth in the West and can no longer reach the top four. However, under certain circumstances, they could contend for fifth place. The hosts still have players like Murphy, Zaitsev, and Larionov Jr. on the injury list.

The Shanghai Dragons continue to disappoint their fans, having lost both matches in the KHL World Games, followed by four more defeats. This week, the Shanghai side faced off against Avtomobilist and suffered a heavy 6-2 loss to the Yekaterinburg team. Kevin Labanc, who has been shining lately, found the net again, but he and his North American teammates continue to rack up penalties, leading to goals conceded while shorthanded. On average, the Dragons score 2.46 goals per game but concede 3.48 goals per match. The offseason will require significant work from management, the coaching staff, and players, with potential signings of new stars from the AHL not ruled out. On Friday, in their clash with their St. Petersburg neighbors, the visitors will be without Bischoff, Harpur, and Rybar.