Lokomotiv Yaroslavl vs Avangard Omsk Prediction 18 September 2026
🔊 Lokomotiv remain the league’s only unbeaten side and return to Yaroslavl after a flawless road trip. The reigning champions now face Avangard, who have also found their rhythm-although Omsk needed to come from 0-2 down in each of their last two wins. Back in May, these teams battled through a seven-game thriller in the Gagarin Cup semifinals, with the series only decided in double overtime. That history adds an extra layer of intrigue to this early-season showdown.
Lokomotiv have won four of their last five competitive matches.
📊 This spring, the two rivals battled through a seven-game Gagarin Cup semifinal series. It went the distance, with the decisive match also needing more than regulation-Lokomotiv clinched the series in double overtime with a 4-3 victory. Looking at their last five official head-to-head clashes, Lokomotiv have come out on top in four of them. However, Avangard managed to strike back during a summer preseason game, edging out Lokomotiv in a shootout, 2-1.
Head-to-head statistics Lokomotiv Yaroslavl - Avangard Omsk
Five consecutive wins are built on a rock-solid defense
Lokomotiv are off to a flawless start in the championship, racking up five wins from five outings. Their defensive play has been particularly impressive. Only CSKA have managed to score more than once against the Yaroslavl side, while Traktor were held to just a single goal in Chelyabinsk despite firing 24 shots on target and failing to convert three power plays. The goaltending numbers back this up: Daniil Isaev boasts a 95.5% save percentage, while Alexei Melnichuk is even better at 95.8%.
The Railwaymen claimed their latest victory thanks to a strong finish. After two periods against Traktor, the score was level, but Lokomotiv struck three times in the third to seal a 4-1 win. It’s worth noting that two of those goals came into an empty net. Alexander Radulov found the back of the net with just 11 seconds left, reaching the milestone of 300 KHL goals. So far this season, Lokomotiv have scored eight of their 17 goals in third periods. Berezkin and Kayumov will miss out due to injury.
Match Results: Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
Two consecutive comebacks have helped Avangard extend their winning streak.
After a shutout loss to Salavat Yulaev, Avangard responded with three straight wins. The games against Metallurg and Avtomobilist proved especially challenging: on both occasions, Avangard found themselves trailing 0-2, but managed to claw their way back and seal the victory in overtime. Andrew Poturalski netted the game-winner twice, while Dmitry Rashevsky found the back of the net five times during this stretch. Over their first four outings, the team have picked up six points out of a possible eight.
However, those recent comebacks have not masked their issues on special teams. Avangard’s penalty kill is operating at just 60 percent, with Metallurg and Avtomobilist converting two of their five power play opportunities. Injuries continue to limit their lineup: Volkov, Lajoie, Leuca, McLeod, Prokhorkin, and Sharipzyanov remain sidelined, while Paquette is unavailable due to personal reasons. As a result, Avangard have already had to expend extra energy twice to come from behind after slow starts.
Match Results: Avangard Omsk
⚡️ Key Players
Alexander Radulov has racked up eight points in five games for Lokomotiv, tallying three goals and five assists. Egor Surin follows closely with seven points (4+3), while Georgy Ivanov has contributed five points, including two goals and three assists.
For Avangard, Andrew Poturalski leads the way with five points in four appearances-three goals and two assists. Dmitry Rashevsky and Joshua Leivo have each posted three points; Rashevsky with two goals and one assist, Leivo with one goal and two assists.
🥅 Goaltenders
Daniil Isaev has started four games for Lokomotiv and won them all, turning aside 105 of 110 shots for a .955 save percentage and a goals-against average of 1.24. Alexei Melnichuk has played one game, also earning a win with a .958 save percentage and a 1.01 goals-against average.
Ivan Prosvetov made one start for Avangard, posting a win while stopping 25 of 26 shots-a .962 save percentage and a 1.00 goals-against average. Nikita Serebryakov has appeared three times, picking up two wins and one loss, saving 55 of 62 shots for an .887 save percentage and a 2.31 goals-against average.
⭐️ Editorial Prediction
Avangard have strung together three straight wins, but they had to mount comebacks from 0-2 deficits in their last two outings. Starting slow against Lokomotiv could prove far more costly. Yaroslavl’s side have opened the new campaign with five consecutive victories, and so far, only CSKA have managed to score more than once in a game against them.
The hosts also have the upper hand in recent head-to-head encounters. Lokomotiv have claimed four wins in their last five official meetings with Avangard, including that decisive Game 7 in the previous Gagarin Cup semifinals. On top of that, Lokomotiv are riding a run of six wins in their last seven KHL fixtures. Given the risk of overtime, it makes sense to play it safe here. My pick: Lokomotiv to win including overtime and shootout.
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Betting Tips: Lokomotiv Yaroslavl - Avangard Omsk
in 6 of last 7 games (KHL).
in 6 of last 7 home games against Avangard Omsk (KHL).in 9 of last 10 games (KHL).in last 9 games (KHL).in 8 of last 9 home games (KHL).
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