Sibir Novosibirsk vs Ak Bars Kazan Prediction 24 September 2026
🔊 The first clash between Sibir and Ak Bars this season was so tightly contested that the winner was only decided in a shootout. Since then, the teams have taken different paths: after eight games, Kazan sit second in the Eastern Conference with 11 points, while Novosibirsk have collected just five from seven outings and currently lie in tenth place. Sibir, however, finally snapped their losing streak-and did so emphatically, routing Sochi 5-1. Ak Bars also arrive on the back of a win, although they needed more than 60 minutes to edge past Lada.
38 seconds turned the first leg on its head
📊 In Kazan, Sibir came agonizingly close to snatching victory. The Novosibirsk side surged ahead 3-1 and completely dominated the second period, outshooting their hosts 14-3. But everything changed early in the third: Alexander Ivanov pulled one back, and just 38 seconds later, Semyon Terekhov leveled the score. Neither team managed to break the deadlock in the remaining regulation time or overtime. In the shootout, it was Grigory Denisenko who sealed the win for Ak Bars, converting the decisive attempt for a 4-3 triumph.
Head-to-head statistics Sibir Novosibirsk - Ak Bars Kazan
Sibir finally break through on offense
Before their trip to Sochi, Novosibirsk’s offense had been, to put it mildly, underwhelming: over five consecutive games, the team failed to score more than two goals in any outing, while their average expected goals stood at just 2.23. That dry spell finally ended in the south as Sibir cruised to a 5-1 victory, converting 18.5% of their shots on target. Anton Kosolapov netted a brace, Alexander Mirzabalaev scored his first ever KHL goal, with Semyon Koshelev and Darren Dietz also getting on the scoresheet. Interestingly, the hosts actually trailed Sochi in shots on target (25 to 27), but made much better use of their opportunities.
Now, Sibir are looking to inject more pace into their attack with the addition of Alexander Yaremchuk, who arrived from Torpedo in exchange for Alexey Yakovlev. Last season, the new signing featured in 49 games, tallying five goals and eight assists; across his entire KHL career, he has recorded 106 points (46 goals and 60 assists) in 336 appearances. Still, Sibir need to improve their five-on-five scoring-only four of their last eight goals have come at even strength. After seven games, Novosibirsk have just five points to their name, so a single emphatic win over Sochi is not enough to transform the narrative of their season start.
Match Results: Sibir Novosibirsk
Ak Bars keep picking up points even without a standout attacking display.
Kazan have climbed to second place in the Eastern Conference with 11 points from eight games, despite still struggling to find their rhythm offensively. The team averages just 2.3 goals per game in regulation, and managed only two goals in 60 minutes against both Sochi and Lada. They did manage to rescue their last outing in overtime, as Ak Bars edged Lada 3-2 thanks to a game-winning goal from Alexei Byvaltsev in the 62nd minute. Both sides registered 31 shots on target, and the match once again forced Kazan to reshuffle their lines mid-game.
Now, a new issue has emerged-Kevin Hayes has decided to retire, leaving Ak Bars without a single point to his name. Anvar Gatiyatulin confirmed that the club had brought in the American to be one of their top centers, and they will now have to look for reinforcements at that position once more. Against Lada, Alexander Khmelevsky played at center and picked up an assist, with the coach singling out his off-puck play and defensive work for praise. Meanwhile, Nikita Dynyak and Stepan Terekhov missed the game due to minor injuries, which Gatiyatulin said were not serious.
Match Results: Ak Bars Kazan
⚡️ Key Players
Defenceman Darren Dietz has emerged as Sibir’s standout performer in the early stages of the season. Over seven games, he’s tallied seven points (3 goals, 4 assists), fired 24 shots on goal, and averaged 21:27 of ice time per night. Among the forwards, Evgeny Kuznetsov has recorded 4 points (2 goals, 2 assists) in seven appearances, while Anton Kosolapov climbed to three points (2 goals, 1 assist) after his brace against Sochi. Notably, Kosolapov leads this trio in shot attempts, with 26 efforts in seven games.
Ak Bars feature two players tied at six points apiece. Artem Galimov has notched 4 goals and 2 assists over eight games, converting 13.8% of his 29 shots. Grigory Denisenko has matched that total with 6 points (2 goals, 4 assists) in the same span, already delivering four power-play contributions. Semyon Terekhov remains one of the team’s most clinical finishers-he’s scored three times on just 13 shots for an impressive 23.1% conversion rate.
🥅 Goaltenders
Mikhail Berdin has handled the bulk of the workload between the pipes for Sibir. He’s started five games, posting two wins and two losses, stopping 110 of 123 shots for a .894 save percentage and a 2.63 goals-against average. Berdin also has one shutout to his name. Anton Krasotkin has appeared in two contests without a win so far, but boasts a higher save percentage-91.1% after turning aside 72 of 79 shots.
For Ak Bars, Timur Bilyalov has been the mainstay in goal. Across six starts, he’s picked up three wins and two losses, stopping 156 of 167 shots. His numbers are notably strong: a .934 save percentage and a 1.82 goals-against average. Maksim Arefyev featured in two games with a .908 save percentage and a 2.96 GAA, but is currently sidelined by injury-his recovery is projected at seven to ten days.
⭐️ Editor’s Prediction
Sibir’s defense has been leaving plenty of openings for their opponents this season, conceding an average of 3.2 goals per game. In their first head-to-head clash this campaign, Ak Bars managed to score three times in regulation, with two of those goals coming within just 38 seconds in the third period. There’s also a recent home stretch that supports our pick: Avtomobilist and Neftekhimik combined for eight goals in Novosibirsk. While Kazan haven’t exactly been lighting up the scoreboard themselves, there’s no need to set the bar too high here. My pick is for Ak Bars to score over 2 goals.
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Betting Tips: Sibir Novosibirsk - Ak Bars Kazan
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