Shanghai Dragons vs Barys Astana Prediction 7 March 2026
📣 The ice battles of the KHL World Games project continue. On Saturday, the Shanghai Dragons will face off against Astana's Barys at the Vostok Sports Center. Both teams are positioned at the lower end of the standings and are no longer in playoff contention. However, they are eager to maintain their pride and thrill their fans as the season winds down. Who will come out on top? Let's dive into the details.
Head-to-Head
In 2024, both encounters between the teams ended with identical 2-0 victories for the former Kunlun. Goalie Jeremy Smith, who left the Dragons' den in the off-season, secured two shutouts. The goal-scoring plays featured contributions from Somerby, Foo, and Clendening, who continue to play for the Chinese team. In the current regular season, Astana and Shanghai have already faced off. The Dragons claimed a 4-3 overtime victory. Despite frequent penalties, they managed to turn the game around and scored shorthanded seven minutes into the third period. As for their head-to-head results overall, the current visitors hold the advantage with 16 wins compared to 9 victories for the Chinese team.
Head-to-head statistics Shanghai Dragons - Barys Astana
Shanghai Dragons Team Overview
The Shanghai Dragons have been experiencing inconsistent results over their last five games, securing two victories while suffering three defeats. After their triumph against Barys, which we've previously highlighted, they managed a narrow 2-1 win over Togliatti's Lada. Since the start of 2026, the Dragons have consistently come up short against teams sitting at the top of the table. On average, Rendulic and his teammates are scoring 2.47 goals per game, but their defense has been lacking-Clendening and his fellow defenders are allowing opponents to score an average of 3.29 goals per match. The first encounter with Sibir during the KHL World Games was a thrilling affair despite the low goal count: fans witnessed 14 hits, a fight, and attempts to stage a comeback in the third period. It's worth noting that the home side still has Ribár, Kareyev, Harpur, and Grolo on the injured list.
Match Results: Shanghai Dragons
Barys Astana Team Overview
Barys are clearly struggling at the moment, suffering five consecutive defeats. Since the start of the season, the Astana-based team have secured only 18 wins, effectively ending their playoff hopes. On average, Morelli and his teammates score 2.19 goals per game but concede as many as 3.05, highlighting issues both in offense and defense. Earlier this week, the Kazakh side faced off against SKA St. Petersburg and were routed by the "Army Men" (0-7). They managed just 18 shots on Artemy Pleshkov's goal but performed better in face-offs and showcased impressive physical play. Saturday's match will be crucial for head coach Mikhail Kravets, who led Kunlun last season. On the road, the coaching staff will be without forward Shaikhmeddenov (8+6).
Match Results: Barys Astana
🏒 Projected Lineups
Shanghai Dragons: Shikin - Clendening, Kalinyuk - Sukese, Labanc, Quinney
Barys: Scheel - Massie, Daniyar - Vecchione, Morelli, Simonov
🥅 Goalies
Shanghai's primary goalie, Patrik Rybar, remains on the injured list. Recently, the Dragons' coaching staff have been choosing between Shikin and Tikhomirov for the starting spot. On Saturday, Shikin is likely to start, given his impressive recent performances with a 92.4% save percentage.
American Adam Scheel has been getting more time in net for Barys this season compared to his counterparts Boyarkin and Shutov. As a KHL All-Star Game participant, Scheel boasts a goals-against average of 2.70 over 30 games, which is quite respectable for a goalie on an underdog team.
⭐ Editorial Prediction
Both teams are struggling in their recent outings: the Dragons have secured just 2 wins in their last five games, while Barys are on a five-game losing streak. An intriguing trend to note is that Barys have seen over 4.5 goals scored in nine consecutive matches. Given the defensive frailties of both teams (Shanghai concede 3.29 goals per game, while Barys allow 3.05), and the fact that neither team has a shot at the playoffs, there's a high likelihood of a goal-fest. We anticipate Saturday's clash will play out differently from Shanghai's match against Novosibirsk and are going with over 4.5 goals.No comments
Betting Tips: Shanghai Dragons - Barys Astana
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