Sibir Novosibirsk vs Barys Astana Prediction
🔊 Surprisingly, the only intrigue left in the Eastern Conference on the final day of the regular season is the battle for the second-to-last spot. After a disastrous last season, Barys certainly do not want to enter the next fall as the team with the "worst in the East" tag. Let's delve into the stats and trends ahead of the KHL game on March 20.
Head-to-Head
📊 Over the past three seasons, Sibir and Barys have clashed 15 times: the team from Novosibirsk claimed victory in ten games, while the squad from Astana secured five wins. Heading into their next head-to-head, the Russian club arrives with a streak of four consecutive victories. On home ice, Sibir have triumphed over the Kazakh team in 7 of their last 8 encounters.
H2H Stats Matches and Previous Teams Results
Sibir Novosibirsk Team Overview
After securing an early playoff berth with a victory over CSKA Moscow (3-2), the team from Novosibirsk didn't let up, making life difficult for another Western Conference contender, SKA St. Petersburg (4-1). Regardless of the outcome against the Kazakh club, Yaroslav Lyuzenkov's squad will remain in eighth place, as they gear up for their Gagarin Cup first-round series against Metallurg Magnitogorsk, starting March 24.
At home, Novosibirsk have been on a roll, collecting points in six consecutive games-marking their best run of the season. Not long ago, it was hard to call Sibir a strong home team. They've only managed eight regulation-time wins at home, the lowest in the KHL. Their average home performance stands at 2.55 goals scored and 2.79 goals conceded per game.
On the injury list for Sibir, Pavel Tkachenko remains sidelined, joined by Sergei Shirokov and Valentin Pyanov. However, Ilya Talaluev has returned to action after nearly a month out.
Match Results: Sibir Novosibirsk
Barys Astana Team Overview
The Kazakh club suffered two defeats against their direct rival, Vladivostok's Admiral (both times 2-6), complicating their situation significantly. Ahead of the final match, Barys hold just a one-point advantage over the Far Eastern team. However, even earning a point in Novosibirsk won't guarantee them the penultimate spot-if the "Sailors" secure a regulation win in Chelyabinsk, the "Snow Leopards" will drop to 11th place.
Before their losses in Vladivostok, Barys had one of their best runs of the season, winning three times in China and the Far East. On the road, Mikhail Kravets' team averages 2.21 goals per game (the lowest in the East), while conceding an average of 3.00 goals.
Forward Ansar Shaikhmeddenov has finally returned from Barys' injury list and may feature in the season's final match.
Match Results: Barys Astana
⚡️ Leaders
Anton Kosolapov's impressive stats at the close of the regular season (2 goals and 2 assists against CSKA and SKA) have propelled him to the top of Sibir's scoring race with 37 points (17 goals, 20 assists). The previous leader, Yegor Alanov, who remains Sibir's top playmaker, has accumulated 35 points (4 goals, 31 assists).
As the season winds down, Mike Vecchione (19 goals, 26 assists) and Riley Walsh (15 goals, 30 assists), both with 45 points, are vying for the title of Barys' top scorer. Tice Thompson has set a personal record in the KHL by scoring in five consecutive games.
🥅 Goalies
In March, Anton Krasotkin has been the more frequent presence in Sibir's net. Over four partial games, he boasts an outstanding save percentage of 96.3%. He's managed to keep opponents to two goals or fewer in six straight games. Mikhail Berdin is also expected to get his opportunities in the playoffs, as he maintains a solid save percentage of 91.6% with a goals-against average of 3.08.
For Barys, all three goalies have seen ice time in March. Nikita Boyarkin has shown the most consistency, with a 92.4% save percentage and a 2.52 goals-against average over four games. Adam Scheel (eight goals allowed in 65 minutes) and Andrey Shutov (four goals allowed in 53 minutes) have struggled to find their rhythm.
Editorial Prediction
Nikita Boyarkin is likely to start in goal for Barys before getting a well-deserved rest. The Kazakhstani goalie has impressive stats this March, boasting a goals-against average of 2.52. Sibir have another opportunity to focus on their defensive play without emphasizing attack too much - after all, solid defense could be crucial for them to secure at least one or two wins in their playoff series against Metallurg.
Looking at the stats: in 10 of their last 11 games, Sibir have scored no more than three goals, while their fourth goal against SKA came with an empty-netter just two and a half minutes before the end of the game. In their head-to-head matchups with Barys, Sibir have also failed to score more than three goals in 10 out of 12 encounters. We shouldn't expect a goal-fest here - Sibir are already focused on Tuesday's game, while Barys aim not to finish at the bottom. Our pick - Sibir's individual total under 3.5 goals.
Betting Tips: Sibir Novosibirsk - Barys Astana
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