Sochi vs Ak Bars Kazan Prediction 18 March 2026
🔊 For Ak Bars, the match against the league's bottom team carries no impact on their standings. However, for the "Leopards," facing the Kazan club is one of their last two opportunities to shed the "worst team in the KHL" label. Can Sochi break their losing streak against an unmotivated opponent? We analyze this regular-season clash and offer our prediction for the game on March 18.
Head-to-Head
📊 Over the past three seasons, Sochi and Ak Bars have faced off five times: Sochi claimed victory in two games, while Kazan took three. Notably, on the opponent's ice, the "Bars" have won 5 of their last 6 encounters.
Head-to-head statistics Sochi - Ak Bars Kazan
Sochi Team Overview
The KHL underdog heads into a matchup against one of the Eastern Conference leaders on the back of a five-game losing streak, having fallen to CSKA twice (both 1-2), Ak Bars (0-2), Torpedo (3-4), and Amur (2-3). Another defeat could seal the fate of the Leopards, leaving them with no chance of avoiding the league's bottom spot this season.
At home, Sochi performs slightly better than on the road, but even at the Bolshoy Ice Dome, they rank near the bottom in many statistical categories. Under the guidance of Dmitry Mikhailov, the team secures 40.9% of points at home, averages 2.33 goals per game, and concedes 2.88.
The Leopards' injury list includes goalie Maxim Tretiak, top-scoring defensemen Cameron Lee and Noel Hoefenmayer, along with Ilya Nikolaev and the team's leading scorer Max Ellis.
Match Results: Sochi
Ak Bars Kazan Team Overview
The defeat in Cherepovets against Severstal (2-4) ended the Kazan club's three-game winning streak and dashed their hopes of climbing to second place in the Eastern Conference. Anvar Gatiyatulin's squad is guaranteed to finish third and will face either Salavat Yulaev, Traktor, or Neftekhimik in the first round of the playoffs.
On the road, the "Bars" have lost 4 out of their last 5 games, managing to score three goals only once during this stretch (fewer in all other matches). Away from home, the Tatarstan club averages 2.69 goals per game while conceding 2.28, which is the second-best mark in the KHL.
The injury list for Ak Bars is currently empty. Following their recent victory over Sochi, Semyon Terekhov was removed from the lineup and replaced by Artyom Galimov. Timur Bilyalov, who had been sidelined with an injury, has also returned. The coaches promised not to rush his comeback, but he appeared for two minutes at the end of the first period in Cherepovets, saving two shots before being substituted during the break.
Match Results: Ak Bars Kazan
⚡️ Leaders
Heading into their final home game of the season, the race for Sochi's top scorer is heating up between Daniil Seroukh (32 points, 12 goals, 20 assists), Matvey Guskov (31, 9+22), and Max Ellis (30, 16+14). All three players missed the match against Amur.
For Ak Bars, the scoring leaderboard features Kirill Semyonov (52, 16+36), Alexander Barabanov (49, 20+29), and Nathan Todd (48, 19+29). The Canadian forward has registered points in four of the last five games, while Artyom Galimov extended his scoring streak to four games.
🥅 Goalkeepers
In March, Pavel Khomchenko has shouldered the bulk of the goaltending duties for Sochi. Over six games, he boasts impressive stats with a save percentage of 94.6% and a goals-against average (GAA) of 1.86. Alexey Shchetilin appeared twice in March, conceding seven goals but maintaining commendable consistency with a 90.9% save percentage.
It seems premature to discuss a full return for Ak Bars' main goalie Timur Bilyalov. In his absence, Maxim Arefyev has stepped up as the starting goaltender. Over six March games, the Tatarstan club's goalie has a 92.5% save percentage with a GAA of 2.11.
Editor's Prediction
Clashes between Sochi and Ak Bars are seldom high-scoring affairs-over the history of their rivalry, only three out of 14 encounters have seen more than five goals scored. Considering their current form-Sochi's last six out of seven games have featured no more than five goals-a well-founded prediction for this match would be under 5.5 total goals.
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Betting Tips: Sochi - Ak Bars Kazan
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