Lokomotiv Yaroslavl vs Spartak Moscow Prediction 24 March 2026
🔊 The top team in the Western Conference, boasting the league's most consistent defense, will face off against the less stable Spartak in the first round. The reigning Gagarin Cup champions will kick off their title defense at home, where they have the potential to play all the way through to the tournament's final. Let's delve into the opening match of the first round of the 2026 KHL playoffs and offer an insightful prediction for the game.
Head-to-Head
📊 Over the past three seasons, Lokomotiv and Spartak have faced off 12 times: the Yaroslavl club claimed victory in nine of those encounters, while the Moscow side won three. Notably, the "Railwaymen" triumphed in each of the four regular-season games this season, conceding more than two goals only once.
In the playoffs, Lokomotiv and Spartak have clashed twice, but both occasions were quite some time ago. In 2009, the Yaroslavl club took the second-round series (3-0), and in 2010, they secured a less convincing win (4-2).
Head-to-head statistics Lokomotiv Yaroslavl - Spartak Moscow
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl Team Overview
Bob Hartley's team finished the regular season at the top of the Western Conference, winning 67.6% of their games-naturally, the best record in the West. Yaroslavl's average scoring figures are modest, with just 2.72 goals per game (ranking seventh in the conference), but their defensive play is phenomenal. On average, Lokomotiv conceded fewer than two goals per game during the regular season-1.99 to be exact, the best in the league.
Playoff games could hinge on special teams play, and this is perhaps the only area where the favorite doesn't outshine their opponent. Lokomotiv ranks second to last among Western teams in power-play conversion at 14.8%, while they are second in penalty-kill percentage at 81.1%.
At home, Hartley's squad won 79.4% of their games (the best in the East), including 20 regulation-time victories in 34 matches. The average scoring stats at "Arena-2000 Lokomotiv" are better than their overall averages-2.82 goals scored per game while allowing just 1.82.
Match Results: Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
Spartak Moscow Team Overview
The Moscow club finished eighth in the Western Conference during the regular season, although they theoretically could have secured a more favorable opponent just a day before the regular season concluded. Spartak won more than half (51.5%) of their games this season. The team's average scoring rate is significantly higher than their opponent's-3.00 goals per game-though defense is not the strongest aspect of Alexei Zhamnov's squad, conceding an average of 2.96 goals.
With a power play conversion rate of 26.3%, the "Red-Whites" rank among the best in the KHL. The capital's hockey players will surely look to capitalize on this strength. However, their penalty-killing performance raises significant concerns, with a neutralization rate of 76.4%-the ninth-best in the West.
On the road, the Moscow club won exactly half of their matches. Alexei Zhamnov's team boasts slightly better scoring averages away from "Megasport"-3.09 goals scored per game compared to 3.15 conceded.
Match Results: Spartak Moscow
Latest news
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
💬 Lokomotiv head coach Bob Hartley: "In the playoffs, you don't get to choose your opponents. If you want to win the Cup, you have to beat anyone who stands in your way. We respect everyone in the league."
❌ Heading into their first playoff game, the reigning Gagarin Cup holders have a clean bill of health with no injured players. However, defenseman Nikita Cherepanov will miss the opening games due to a suspension following an infraction against a referee.
Spartak Moscow
💬 Spartak's head coach Alexei Zhamnov: "What we ask from the players is to play correctly for all 60 minutes, regardless of the opponent. We need to prepare for the playoffs properly because the opposition is strong, and we fully understand who we are up against and what needs to be done."
❌ Forward Brandon Biro remains on Spartak's injury list. As the regular season comes to a close, the Moscow team has terminated the contract of one of their most effective and standout players, Adam Ruzicka. They are anticipating the return of goalkeeper Alexander Georgiev to the lineup.
⚡️ Key Players
Lokomotiv's standout performer in the regular season was the seasoned Alexander Radulov, who tallied 52 points (21 goals, 31 assists). Maxim Shalunov, with 30 goals, secured a spot among the top five goal scorers in the KHL. Martin Gernat (+34) and Radulov (+31) ranked in the top five for plus/minus ratings during the preliminary stage, while Alexander Yelesin led the league in hits with 213.
With Adam Ruzicka's departure from Spartak, several questions arise. He was the team's third-highest scorer in the regular season with 40 points (16 goals, 24 assists). Daniil Gutik topped the list with 47 points (20 goals, 27 assists), followed by Mikhail Maltsev with 44 points (18 goals, 26 assists). On defense, Spartak places high hopes on Joseph Keane, one of the KHL's leaders in ice time.
🥅 Goaltenders
Lokomotiv's goaltending line draws significant attention. Their status as having the best defense is largely due to Daniil Isaev. In 56 games, he posted a save percentage of 92.7% with a goals-against average (GAA) of 1.89, ranking second in the KHL, and recorded seven shutouts, also second-best in the league. His backup is Alexei Melnychuk, who has a 91.4% save percentage and a GAA of 1.86 over 15 games.
For Spartak, both Artem Zagidulin (36 games) and Alexander Georgiev (24 games) are poised to contribute in the playoffs, provided Georgiev recovers from his injury. Zagidulin's stats are slightly lower than his counterpart's, with a 90.4% save percentage compared to Georgiev's 91.8%, and a GAA of 3.06 against Georgiev's 2.37.
Editorial Prediction
Defense, consistency, and composure are crucial in playoff games. Momentum is important too, but this series feels like it could feature low-scoring totals. In our KHL Cup Preview for 2026, we even suggested that one game might end in a 0-0 draw in regulation - and it might just happen in this series.
In 11 of the last 13 matchups at "Arena-2000-Lokomotiv," spectators have not witnessed more than four goals per game. Considering Yaroslavl's previous playoff series - where in 4 out of 5 cases, no more than four goals were scored collectively - our editorial choice for the opening game of the series is under 4.5 goals.
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