Shanghai Dragons vs Torpedo Prediction 5 December 2025
📣 Can Nizhny Novgorod avenge their September defeat against Shanghai? Both teams have been inconsistent lately, yet they remain in the top eight of the Western Conference. Who will falter first and let their conference rivals overtake them? We aim to answer all these questions in our prediction.
Head-to-Head
Last season, former Kunlun and Torpedo faced off in four head-to-head clashes, with the Nizhny Novgorod side claiming three victories. The highlight for Torpedo came with a commanding home triumph last October, winning 4-0. Goalie Ivan Kulbakov stopped all 25 shots from Kunlun's players, while forward Nikita Artamonov contributed two points. The "Dragons" secured their sole win on December 30 at Nagorny Arena, edging out a 4-3 victory in overtime. As previously mentioned, the teams have already crossed sticks in the current regular season. Goaltenders Patrik Rybar and Denis Kostin delivered outstanding performances, combining for 63 saves. Fans witnessed the lone goal of the match in the 64th minute when Nick Merkley capitalized on a power play opportunity.
Head-to-head statistics Shanghai Dragons - Torpedo
Shanghai Dragons Team Overview
Currently, Gerard Gallant's team sits eighth in the Western standings, but they risk losing their spot to Moscow's CSKA, who have two more games scheduled this week. After a disappointing end to November, the "Dragons" managed to bounce back in front of their fans, narrowly defeating an in-form Salavat Yulaev with Rodwald and Brosso in the lineup (3-2). Kevin Labanc remains the standout player for the Shanghai Dragons, taking charge and securing the much-needed victory in the third period. However, there are concerns about other players: we continue to highlight the frequent penalties taken by Shanghai's skaters, often leading to failures while shorthanded. Forward Nikita Popugaev has been spending less time on the ice and his scoring output has noticeably decreased.
Match Results: Shanghai Dragons
Torpedo N. Novgorod Team Overview
The Torpedo squad also stumbled at the end of November but managed to regain their footing with a thrilling victory over CSKA Moscow on Wednesday, prevailing 5-4 in a shootout. Despite trailing during the match, they clawed back into contention early in the third period. Veteran Vladimir Tkachev, recently traded from the struggling Sibir, scored his first goal for his new team. Torpedo's disciplined play was notable, as they only incurred two penalty minutes throughout the 60-minute contest. The upcoming clash with the Shanghai Dragons will be Alexei Isakov's team's final game before a week-long break. The Nizhny Novgorod players need to give it their all to maintain their position in the top five. It's important to note that forwards Shane Prince and Alexei Kruchinin are currently listed as injured.
Match Results: Torpedo N. Novgorod
🏒 Projected Lineups
Torpedo: Kostin - Konyushkov, Zhuravlev - Atanasov, Tkachev, Vinogradov
Shanghai Dragons: Rybar - Harpur, Reilly - Sukese, Sutter, S. Fu
🥅 Goalies
This season, Torpedo's goaltending duo features Ivan Kulbakov and former Sibir netminder Denis Kostin. We anticipate Kostin will start in goal on Friday, given his experience against North American players. It's worth noting that in September, Denis managed to keep the Dragons scoreless in regulation time.
Former Spartak and Dinamo Minsk goalkeeper Patrik Rybar is the Dragons' number one this season. The Slovakian has played 22 games since the start of the regular season, posting a goals-against average of 2.84. After getting a rest in the match against Salavat Yulaev, we expect him to be back in the starting lineup on Friday.
Editor's Prediction
For the upcoming match, we suggest a bet on Shanghai Dragons' individual total under 2.5 goals. Denis Kostin's performance in goal during September was impressive, and it's unlikely that the current Dragons, with their ongoing offensive struggles, will manage to score more than twice against him. Notably, Shanghai have netted fewer than three goals in eight of their last nine head-to-head encounters with Torpedo.No comments
Betting Tips: Shanghai Dragons - Torpedo N. Novgorod
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