Ak Bars Kazan vs Traktor Chelyabinsk Prediction
🔊 Ak Bars and Traktor delivered a true thriller in the first game of the series: a disallowed goal, a comeback just 20 seconds before the end of regulation, and an extended overtime. What can we expect from the second game for these teams in the KHL playoffs? Let's break down the second meeting of the ⅛ finals of the 2026 Gagarin Cup and offer a prediction for the match on March 25.
Head-to-Head
📊 Over the past three seasons, Ak Bars and Traktor have clashed 13 times: the Kazan club claimed victory in nine of those games, while the Chelyabinsk side won four. The head-to-head stats in Kazan spell disaster for Traktor. Ak Bars have triumphed in 11 consecutive home games, including a recent win in the current series (3-2 OT).
The last playoff encounter between these clubs was in 2018. The Eastern Conference finals were dominated by the Kazan team, who swept the series with wins of 2-1, 4-3, 2-1 OT, and 3-1.
H2H Stats Matches and Previous Teams Results
Ak Bars Kazan Team Overview
The Kazan club narrowly clinched victory in the first game of the series: Ak Bars trailed for over half of the match, turned the game around, and then conceded a goal just 20 seconds before regulation time ended, pushing the game into overtime. In the extra period, one of the key snipers for the Tatarstan team, Alexander Barabanov, played a crucial role by scoring in the 17th minute of overtime.
The "Bars" were significantly outshot by their opponents (36 to 48), but they showcased an impressive conversion rate of 8.33%. The team from Kazan backed up their strong power play statistics from the regular season (21.3%) and in the playoffs, converting one of their four attempts (the last one).
Match Results: Ak Bars Kazan
Traktor Chelyabinsk Team Overview
Traktor scored twice in the first period, but the referees took a long look at the first goal, initially reviewing it themselves and then following a coach's challenge, ultimately disallowing Yegor Korshkov's effort. The critical moment came at the end of regulation with an empty-net situation. Playing 6-on-5 paid off as Traktor forced the game into overtime, where their finishing let them down.
The Chelyabinsk club outshot their opponents, firing 48 shots on goal. The "Polar Bears" had better statistics in face-offs, winning 54.7% compared to 45.3%. Penalties were their downfall, with four infractions, one of which was pivotal and could have handed Ak Bars the victory in regulation time.
Match Results: Traktor Chelyabinsk
Latest news
Ak Bars Kazan
💬 Ak Bars head coach Anvar Gatiyatulin: "We've been preparing for the playoffs for several months. We knew the first game, especially at home, would be filled with emotions that needed to be channeled properly. It didn't happen right away; the first period was full of chaos, turnovers, and unforced errors."
❌ Ak Bars' injury list is clear. Starting goaltender Timur Bilyalov has returned to action after an injury just in time for the playoffs. Radil Zamaltdinov has been listed as the 13th forward.
Traktor Chelyabinsk
💬 Traktor's head coach Evgeny Koreshkov: "Playing with uneven lineups? We understood that this aspect could determine the outcome of the game. I wouldn't say the penalties were completely unnecessary - they were more spontaneous. Of course, no one wanted to get penalized. We spoke with the players, but unfortunately, it happened. I'm confident we'll avoid penalties in the next game."
❌ In the current playoffs, Traktor will have to cope without their main goaltender Sergey Mylnikov, who is out for the rest of the season. Defenseman Arseny Koromyslov has returned for the first game, but Grigory Dronov remains in Chelyabinsk, continuing his recovery from an injury.
⚡️ Top Scorers
Ak Bars' leading scorers lived up to their billing, with Nathan Todd (22 goals) and Alexander Barabanov (21) each finding the net once. Alexander Khmelevsky continued his hot streak, recording points in six of his last seven games. However, Kirill Semyonov, the top scorer for the hosts during the preliminary stage with 56 points (18 goals, 38 assists), ended the game without a point.
Joshua Leivo, Traktor's main offensive weapon with 65 points this season, couldn't find the scoresheet despite firing four shots on goal, second only to Vitaly Kravtsov. It was Kravtsov who stole the spotlight with a brace, catapulting him to the top of the Gagarin Cup scoring race. Mikhail Grigorenko, the second-highest scorer for the Urals club during the regular season, contributed two assists.
🥅 Goaltenders
Ak Bars' goaltender Timur Bilyalov emerged as the hero in the series opener, stopping 46 of 48 shots for an impressive 95.8% save percentage. This marked his first time making 45+ saves since April last year. Bilyalov's season averages are slightly lower but still strong, with a 91.9% save rate and a goals-against average of 2.35.
Dmitry Nikolaev also put up respectable numbers with a 91.7% save percentage on 33 saves. Traktor's coaching staff has yet to decide who will start in net for the second game of the series. However, from Evgeny Koreshkov's perspective, this seems like a strategic play; Nikolaev delivered a solid performance, while his backup, Savely Shestnev, is only in his debut KHL season-hardly the time to start him in a crucial playoff match.
Editorial Prediction
Traktor are likely to approach their second game with a more cautious defensive strategy, especially when it comes to penalties, which were crucial in the first match. In this scenario, it's worth examining the statistics for even-strength play-during the regular season, Ak Bars averaged 2.34 goals per game under such conditions, while Traktor averaged 2.38.
Given these stats, a low-scoring game seems likely. Traktor tends to thrive in such matchups-10 of their last 11 games have seen no more than five goals, including all six of their recent away games. Considering that 10 of the last 12 head-to-head encounters between Ak Bars and Traktor ended with no more than five goals, the editorial choice is clear-under 5.5 total goals in the match.
Betting Tips: Ak Bars Kazan - Traktor Chelyabinsk
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