Avtomobilist vs AK Bars Kazan Prediction 27 February 2026
🔊 One of the most intense Eastern Conference rivalries in recent years. Both teams are sitting in the top four and are close to securing a high seed ahead of the playoffs. This would at least help them avoid a third consecutive Gagarin Cup series in the first round. Which team finds a victory at this stage more crucial than the chance to fine-tune their strategies before the knockout games? We break down this regular season KHL match and offer a prediction for the game on February 27.
Head-to-Head
📊 Over the past three KHL seasons, Avtomobilist and Ak Bars have faced off 11 times in the regular season: Avtomobilist claimed victory in four of those encounters, while Ak Bars came out on top in seven. Additionally, for the last two years, these teams from the Urals and Tatarstan have clashed in the first round of the playoffs. In 2024, Avtomobilist took the series 4-1, but in 2025, Ak Bars turned the tables with a 4-3 triumph.
Head-to-head statistics Avtomobilist - AK Bars Kazan
Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg Team Overview
The Ural club has picked up momentum, winning 4 out of their last 5 encounters. Most recently, Avtomobilist thrashed one of the Eastern Conference leaders, Avangard, with a decisive 5-1 victory, which incidentally was a big favor to Ak Bars. This home triumph over the Omsk side solidified Yekaterinburg's position in fourth place-just a couple more wins and Nikolai Zavarukhin's team will almost certainly secure home-ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs.
At home, Avtomobilist are among the best teams in the KHL. The Yekaterinburg squad has amassed nearly 73% of points in front of their fans. Furthermore, "Avto" ranks in the top 3 for goals scored at home (107 goals, averaging 3.45 per game) and in the top 4 for defense (66 goals conceded, averaging 2.13 per game). In 11 of their last 12 home games, the Ural side have allowed no more than two goals.
Defenseman Yaroslav Busygin and forward Roman Gorbunov missed the clash with Avangard. Avtomobilist's offensive leader Daniel Sprong was moved to a line with Stephane Da Costa and Anatoly Golyshev. Sergei Zborovsky returned to the lineup with a "+3" plus/minus rating, while Yegor Chernikov marked his return with a goal.
Match Results: Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg
AK Bars Kazan Team Overview
Kazan have dropped their last two games-against Lada (4-5 SO) and Torpedo (2-3 SO)-but have managed to extend their points streak to five games. These two points helped narrow the gap in the standings with Avangard (81 points to 84). A strong performance in the upcoming fixtures could secure home-ice advantage for the first round before the week's end.
On the road, Ak Bars claim nearly 70% of available points, placing them among the top three in this category across the entire league. With only 61 goals conceded away from home, Kazan boast the best defensive record in the East. Anvar Gatiyatulin's squad allows an average of just 2.18 goals per away game. In seven of their last eight road games, the "Bars" have conceded no more than two goals in regulation.
Despite the loss in Nizhny Novgorod, Ak Bars' coaching staff made just one change for the match against Western Conference underdogs Lada: reinstating Timur Bilyalov in goal. However, the 30-year-old netminder had his worst game in three months by save percentage (77.8%), allowing four goals on 18 shots from Togliatti. Maxim Arefyev stopped all six shots from Lada during regulation play but couldn't help in the shootout.
Match Results: AK Bars Kazan
⚡️ Key Players
Avtomobilist's forward Daniel Sprong remains the driving force for the Ural club with 50 points (23 goals, 27 assists). His point streak has now stretched to five games, tallying 6 goals and 3 assists over that span. Competing for the top spot in assists with the Dutch forward is Stefan Da Costa, who has returned from the Olympics with 26 assists. Yegor Chernikov registered points in the KHL for the first time since late November, and Anatoly Golyshev recorded his first brace of the season.
Kiril Semyonov leads Ak Bars in scoring with 45 points (14 goals, 31 assists). Defenseman Mitchell Miller stands as the team's primary sniper with 18 goals. Nathan Todd has been on a point streak for four consecutive games (3 goals, 3 assists), while Alexander Khmelevsky has been productive in four of the last five matches (1 goal, 3 assists). Ilya Safonov ended a five-game scoreless streak against Lada.
🥅 Goaltenders
The Ural club secured victories over the Shanghai Dragons (4-1) and Avangard with Vladimir Galkin in net. The 25-year-old goaltender extended his streak of games with a save percentage above 90% to six, completing five full matches. Galkin ranks among the league's top three goalies with an average save percentage of 93.3%. Yevgeni Alikin has also shown consistent performance over his last three games.
As previously mentioned, Timur Bilyalov had one of his toughest outings of the season against Lada, conceding four goals. This setback significantly lowered the main Ak Bars goalie’s save percentage to 92.0%. While Maxim Arefyev sees less ice time, the coaching staff will need to prepare a backup goaltender ahead of the playoffs.
Editorial Prediction
Timur Bilyalov's performance against the underdog turned out to be an unpleasant surprise for both fans and the coaching staff. The defense and the goalkeeper's consistency will be crucial in the playoffs. Avtomobilist's defense has recently been solid, conceding just one goal per game in their latest outings. This season, the Ural team has already had seven such streaks where they allowed no more than one goal in two consecutive games-yet in six of the following seven games, they conceded at least two goals, while in five of those seven, they scored at least three.
Nikolay Zavarukhin's team has also been involved in high-scoring affairs lately, with the total over 4.5 goals hitting in five consecutive Avtomobilist matches. Adding to this, four out of Ak Bars' last five games featured at least five goals, making total goals over 4.5 a logical choice.
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Betting Tips: Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg - AK Bars Kazan
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