Sibir Novosibirsk vs Amur Khabarovsk Prediction 18 February 2026
🔊 The matchup between Sibir and Amur might not usually grab attention among other games, but the clash in Novosibirsk could be pivotal in the playoff race. For Amur to stay in contention, they need to defeat their direct rival-and preferably in regulation time. But are the "Tigers" currently strong enough to secure two points from Siberia? Let's break down this KHL regular season game and provide a prediction for the February 18th showdown.
Head-to-Head
📊 Over the past five seasons, Sibir and Amur have faced off 19 times. Sibir claimed victory in 13 of those encounters, while Amur triumphed in six. The "Snowmen" have won the last four games against the "Tigers."
This season, the teams have clashed five times. In Novosibirsk, they split victories with the hosts winning 4-2 and the visitors taking a 2-0 win. All three games in Khabarovsk ended in favor of Sibir (4-3 SO, 1-0, and 3-2 OT).
Head-to-head statistics Sibir Novosibirsk - Amur Khabarovsk
Sibir Novosibirsk Team Overview
Following the break for the KHL All-Star Game, Sibir claimed victory in both of their home games, thrashing Sochi 10-1 and edging out Lada 3-2 in overtime. These wins, coupled with setbacks for their Far Eastern rivals, have allowed Yaroslav Lyuzenkov's team to solidify their hold on eighth place in the Eastern Conference with 55 points.
Despite their recent successes, Sibir remain second to last in the East when it comes to home performance, securing just 27 points in 29 games. Before their victories over the Western Conference's bottom dwellers, Sibir had not managed to win two consecutive games at the "Sibir-Arena" this season.
On the injury front for Sibir, defenseman Daniil Valitov and forwards Valentin Pyanov and Mikhail Abramov remain sidelined. Forward Maksim Sushko missed the game against Lada, with Ilya Talaluev, who joined from Amur, stepping into the third line of attack for his fifth appearance with Sibir.
Match Results: Sibir Novosibirsk
Amur Khabarovsk Team Overview
The "Tigers" have experienced a rollercoaster of results-after a three-game winning streak in early February, Alexander Andrievsky's squad suffered three consecutive losses. However, they managed to secure a victory in the "Far East Derby" against Admiral (3-0) earlier this week. Despite this win, dropping points has pushed Amur further from the playoff spots, leaving them eight points behind Sibir with a game in hand.
On the road, Amur have managed just one win out of six matches-against their main rivals from Vladivostok in the battle for the makeshift Caviar Cup. In terms of results, Khabarovsk's away performance has been underwhelming, with an average of 2.3 goals scored compared to 3.1 conceded.
For the matchup against the "Sailors," Amur's coaching staff reinstated Yaroslav Dyblenko in defense, while Alex Broadhurst, Grigory Kuzmin, and Kirill Sleptsov returned to the attack. Notably absent from the lineup were Yegor Rykov, Yevgeny Svechnikov, Artur Gizatullin, and Kirill Urakov. Assistant captain Yevgeni Grachev marked his 700th KHL game by earning his first point in three weeks.
Match Results: Amur Khabarovsk
⚡️ Key Players
The standout star of last week was Taylor Beck, who set a KHL record with seven points in a single game. The Canadian forward earned the league's top forward accolade for the period. However, the top scorer for Sibir remains defenseman Egor Alanov, with 31 points (4 goals, 27 assists), while their leading goal-getter is Anton Kosolapov, who has found the net 14 times and registered points in eight of his last nine games.
Amur's Yaroslav Likhachev is on a remarkable run, leading the team with 32 points (19 goals, 13 assists) and scoring in seven consecutive games (5 goals, 5 assists). Alex Galchenyuk, a top-line player, is also on a hot streak, recording points in seven of his last eight outings (4 goals, 4 assists).
🥅 Goaltenders
Mikhail Berdin has been in net for both of Sibir's games following the break. Against Sochi and Lada, he allowed just three goals, making 54 saves with a save percentage of 94.7%. Anton Krasotkin has not returned to the ice since conceding five goals against Neftekhimik (2-5) over two periods.
Maxim Dorozhko bounced back from a tough outing against Avangard (2-6) with a stellar performance in the derby, making 25 saves and earning his first shutout in over three months. Before the 'All-Star' break, Amur's primary goaltender had a streak of four consecutive games with a save percentage above 90%.
Editorial Prediction
For Amur, the game in Novosibirsk is pivotal in their playoff pursuit. Any loss here could effectively rule the Tigers out of postseason contention, as their deficit to Sibir would widen to 9-10 points with just ten games remaining in the regular season.
In four of the last five matchups between these teams in Novosibirsk, the games have exceeded six goals, and fans have witnessed at least five goals in 14 of Amur's last 16 away fixtures this season. While an immediate offensive onslaught isn't expected, the stakes are so high that someone will eventually need to chase the game. We predict that the match will end with a total of over 4.5 goals.
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Betting Tips: Sibir Novosibirsk - Amur Khabarovsk
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