Traktor Chelyabinsk vs Avangard Omsk Prediction 18 January 2026
🔊 Can the "Polar Bears" level the score in their season series against the "Hawks"? The most intriguing matchup on Sunday's KHL schedule features Traktor facing off against Avangard on Chelyabinsk ice. Both clubs are vying for top spots in the Eastern Conference, yet there's a significant 13-point gap between them. Despite the away game status, bookmakers are giving a slight edge to Guy Boucher's squad.
Head-to-Head
📊 After three head-to-head clashes this season, Avangard lead the series 2-1. Their last encounter in Chelyabinsk ended with a commanding 8-5 victory for the Omsk team. Guy Boucher's squad were unstoppable on the attack, leaving the local "White Bears" fans in disbelief. Whether they can replicate that performance this time remains to be seen.
Head-to-head statistics Traktor Chelyabinsk - Avangard Omsk
Traktor Chelyabinsk Team Overview
⚪ This season, the Chelyabinsk squad are far from their form last year. Currently, the "Traktorists" are settling for 7th place in the East, having accumulated 48 points from 46 games. However, Yevgeny Koreshkov's team are in good shape, as they have not lost in regulation time in 5 of their last 6 matches. Their winning streak was snapped just this past Wednesday with an away defeat to Avtomobilist (1-4). Despite Traktor's advantage, luck and home support favored Avtomobilist. The top scorer for Traktor in the current regular season is Joshua Leivo, boasting a tally of 22 goals and 26 assists in 43 games.
Match Results: Traktor Chelyabinsk
Avangard Omsk Team Overview
🔴 With the arrival of Guy Boucher, Avangard have become truly aggressive contenders for the Gagarin Cup. Currently, the Omsk club sit third in the Eastern Conference standings, and in terms of points lost, they are the closest challengers to the sole leader. Notably, Avangard boast the most reliable defense in the conference, conceding just 2.48 goals per game. In their previous regular-season game, the Omsk side triumphed in a home clash against CSKA Moscow (2-1). Vyacheslav Voynov scored the winning goal in the encounter. After the match, Guy Boucher stated: “CSKA remind me of how Lokomotiv looked last season. They have a strong coach, and the team plays as a cohesive unit.”
Match Results: Avangard Omsk
🏒 Projected Lineups
Traktor: Mylnikov - Dronov, Day - Leivo, Grigorenko, Kravtsov
Avangard: Serebryakov - Cecconi, Sharipzyanov - Rashevsky, Ponomarev, Okulov
🥅 Goalkeepers
Sergey Mylnikov is aiming to secure his spot as the primary goaltender for the Chelyabinsk club. This season, the 26-year-old Russian has featured in 19 games, boasting a save percentage of 90.72% and a goals-against average of 2.87.
Nikita Serebryakov has been instrumental in Avangard's solid defensive performances. In the current regular season, he has appeared in 36 games. Let's highlight his impressive individual stats: a save percentage of 92.71% and a goals-against average of 2.29, along with 2 shutouts to his name.
Editorial Prediction
In four of Traktor's last five games, there have been at least six goals scored. A similar pattern is evident in four of Avangard's previous five encounters. Both clubs favor an active, high-intensity style of hockey, so we anticipate a significant number of goals being scored. Our betting suggestion is over 5.5 goals.
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Betting Tips: Traktor Chelyabinsk - Avangard Omsk
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