Traktor Chelyabinsk vs SKA St. Petersburg Prediction 25 September 2026
🔊 Both sides have had a chance to regroup ahead of this clash, with SKA enjoying an extended break since September 15. The St. Petersburg club went into the pause on a high, lighting up the scoreboard with seven goals against the Shanghai Dragons-their standout performance of that stretch. Traktor, meanwhile, had a shorter rest but finally secured their first home win before the break, edging out Avangard 2-1. Now, the Chelyabinsk team will look to test their newfound momentum against SKA, who were particularly solid defensively prior to the hiatus.
There are many ways to win
📊 SKA took the first game, firing five goals past Traktor to claim a 5-2 win in St. Petersburg. Traktor responded only in March, conceding just once as Mikhail Grigorenko’s brace secured a 2-1 victory for the Chelyabinsk side. Looking at their last five head-to-head meetings, Traktor hold a slight edge with three wins to SKA’s two. The average total goals across those games stands at 4.6.
Head-to-head statistics Traktor Chelyabinsk - SKA St. Petersburg
Traktor finally broke down their opponents
Across six games, Chelyabinsk have managed to score three goals in regulation just once, with their current average sitting at a modest 1.5 goals per game. Heading into the clash with Avangard, the team had failed to reach even two goals in three consecutive outings, despite posting an average xG of 2.6 in September. This time, Traktor generated plenty of chances again: they outshot Omsk 34-22 on target and spent 18:02 in attack compared to Avangard’s 9:41. Two goals finally proved enough to secure the win, with defensemen Ivan Vydrenkov and Grigory Dronov getting on the scoresheet.
The second goal came on the power play, though this remains a problem area for Traktor. During their current home stand, they have converted just one of eight opportunities with the man advantage. Scott Gordon has admitted that the special teams are still a work in progress, while the club’s five-on-five play is nearly where he wants it. Telegin is set to miss around four weeks, Kravtsov is also sidelined through injury, and Gorbunov’s status remains questionable.
Match Results: Traktor Chelyabinsk
SKA head into the break having netted seven goals.
Prior to their most recent outing, St. Petersburg’s attack had hardly been prolific, managing just a single goal in regulation against Spartak, Lada, and Sochi. However, their shooting efficiency soared to 18% in the clash with the Shanghai Dragons, resulting in a commanding 7-2 victory. Nikolay Goldobin racked up five points (1+4), while Scott Wilson contributed three (2+1). Goldobin’s five-point haul not only led the team but also stood as the week’s top performance among all league forwards.
Before the break, SKA coped well even without high-scoring games. Over their last four fixtures, they conceded an average of just 1.5 goals per game, with Sergei Ivanov turning aside all 33 shots he faced against Sochi. Still, it’s worth noting that four of the six goals allowed during this stretch came in third periods. On the injury front, Weissbach’s absence has been confirmed, while Bardakov is nearing a return and could feature at the start of the upcoming road trip.
Match Results: SKA St. Petersburg
⚡️ Key Players
For Traktor, both Nathan Legare and Grigory Dronov have tallied four points apiece. Legare has posted 3 goals and 1 assist over six games, firing 24 shots for a shooting percentage of 12.5%. Dronov has contributed 2 goals and 2 assists, leading the team with 26 shots while averaging 24:06 of ice time per game. Ivan Vydrenkov has chipped in with three points (1 goal, 2 assists) and remains the only member of this trio with a positive plus-minus at +1.
Nikolai Goldobin is off to a flying start with 12 points (1 goal, 11 assists) and a +8 rating through six games, picking up five points in his most recent outing. Sergei Plotnikov follows closely with seven points (4 goals, 3 assists) and a +7, while Scott Wilson has recorded four points (3 goals, 1 assist) in five appearances.
🥅 Goaltenders
Dmitry Nikolaev has started two games for Traktor, splitting them 1-1 with a save percentage of 91.9% and a goals-against average of 2.49. Henrik Haukeland has featured four times, earning one win against three losses. He owns a 90.6% save percentage and a 2.53 GAA, notably backstopping the team to victory over Avangard.
Sergei Ivanov has delivered an almost flawless start-two wins, just one goal allowed on 58 shots, and one shutout. His numbers are outstanding: a 98.3% save percentage and a 0.50 goals-against average. Artemy Pleshkov has appeared in four games, posting a 3-1 record with a 93.2% save percentage and a 2.49 GAA.
⭐️ Editorial Prediction
Traktor have struggled to reach even three goals per game so far this season. Across six matches, they’re averaging just 1.5 goals per outing, and have only managed to score three in regulation once-against Avtomobilist. Last season, SKA also held the Chelyabinsk side below that mark in both encounters: Traktor managed two goals in the first game and just one in the second. Heading into the break, SKA were conceding an average of only 1.5 goals over their last four games. My pick here is Traktor under 2.5 goals (individual total).
No comments
Betting Tips: Traktor Chelyabinsk - SKA St. Petersburg
in 17 of last 19 home games against SKA St. Petersburg (KHL).in 12 of last 13 games against SKA St. Petersburg (KHL).in 14 of last 15 games (KHL).in last 12 home games (KHL).in 8 of last 9 away games (KHL).in 12 of last 14 home games against SKA St. Petersburg (KHL).in 7 of last 8 games (KHL).
Other predictions
