Barys Astana vs SKA St. Petersburg Prediction 27 September 2026
🔊 Not long ago, the favorite in this matchup would have been clear-cut, but September has dramatically shifted perceptions of Barys. The Astana side thrashed Lokomotiv on the road without conceding, then went on to defeat Dynamo Moscow and returned home with six points out of a possible eight. However, their homecoming at Barys Arena was a tough one-Neftekhimik put six past them. SKA also had a rocky start to their away stretch, but ultimately managed to secure a win in Chelyabinsk.
Nine consecutive wins
📊 In recent years, SKA have completely dominated this matchup. Last season, the St. Petersburg side twice routed Barys without conceding a goal-cruising to 5-0 and 7-0 victories-and extended their winning streak over the Kazakh club to eight games. The teams met again in the summer, and this time the contest was much tighter. Vsevolod Logvin leveled the score with four minutes remaining, but SKA still edged the friendly in overtime, 2-1.
Head-to-head statistics Barys Astana - SKA St. Petersburg
Barys continue to surprise.
Barys’ recent road trip underscored just how dangerous they have become: they collected six points out of a possible eight, averaging an impressive 3.8 goals per game. Their emphatic wins over Lokomotiv (5-0) and Dynamo Moscow (4-1) particularly stood out. Andrei Shutov stopped all 36 shots from Yaroslavl, and only conceded once to Dynamo, that coming while shorthanded. In three of their four games during the second half of September, the Astana side didn’t allow a single first-period goal.
However, their first game back home served as a reminder that consistency remains an issue. Against Neftekhimik, Barys conceded four goals in the second period alone and trailed 0-5 by intermission, prompting Hunter Shepard to replace Shutov in net. The team responded with a strong third period-Pilon, Simonov, and Omirbekov cut the deficit-but the comeback fell short (3-6). After the game, Mikhail Kravets highlighted the high number of turnovers and costly mistakes, and pointed to a noticeable drop in commitment: while Barys blocked 41 and 28 shots on the road, Kravets noted they managed just eight or nine in their latest outing.
Match Results: Barys Astana
SKA nearly squander a three-goal lead
After a ten-day break, SKA returned to action with a 4-3 victory over Traktor. The St. Petersburg side surged to a 4-1 lead by the 43rd minute, but the closing stages were anything but comfortable as the hosts struck twice to set up a tense finish. Traktor piled on the pressure throughout: they outshot SKA 42 to 24 and spent 17:05 in the attacking zone compared to SKA’s 10:52. Sergei Ivanov stood tall under this barrage and prevented Chelyabinsk from completing their comeback.
SKA have also shown a noticeable spark up front. Before the break, they put seven past the Shanghai Dragons on 39 shots, and now they’ve found the net four times in Chelyabinsk. Danil Aimurzin has scored in back-to-back games, while Scott Wilson is also riding a two-game scoring streak-he’s notched three goals over this stretch. The game-winner against Traktor came from Daniil Miromanov, who netted his first goal for SKA in his seventh appearance for the club.
Match Results: SKA St. Petersburg
⚡️ Key Players
Barys boast two forwards who have already hit double digits in points. Justin Bailey leads the way with 12 points (7 goals, 5 assists) in eight games, converting 19.4% of his 36 shots. Right behind him is Garrett Pilon with 10 points (5 goals, 5 assists); remarkably, he’s found the net five times from just nine shots-an outstanding 55.6% shooting percentage. Semyon Simonov has chipped in with 7 points (4 goals, 3 assists) and stands out with a +8 plus-minus rating.
For SKA, Nikolai Goldobin is out in front with 12 points (1 goal, 11 assists) in just seven games, also sporting a +8 rating. Sergei Plotnikov has tallied 7 points (4 goals, 3 assists) with a +7, and he’s scored four goals from only seven shots. Scott Wilson has put up 5 points (4 goals, 1 assist) across six games and is currently riding a two-game goal streak.
🥅 Goaltenders
Barys’ two netminders have posted very different numbers. Andrei Shutov remains unbeaten so far: two wins in four appearances, a stellar .964 save percentage, and a goals-against average of 1.23. He’s stopped 107 of 111 shots faced and has one shutout to his name. Hunter Shepard, after six starts, has three wins and three losses, an .867 save percentage, a 3.22 GAA, and also one shutout.
Sergei Ivanov opened the season with three wins in as many starts for SKA. He’s turned aside 96 of 100 shots-a .960 save percentage-with a 1.33 GAA and one shutout. Artemy Pleshkov has played four games, winning three; he owns a .932 save percentage and a 2.49 GAA.
⭐️ Editor’s Prediction
SKA’s eight-game winning streak in this matchup is hard to ignore, especially considering Barys have lost in regulation time in seven of their last eight KHL head-to-heads. However, backing another straightforward win for the St. Petersburg side now seems a riskier bet. Barys recently picked up six points from a possible eight on the road, while SKA nearly let a lead slip away in Chelyabinsk. Given the circumstances, it makes sense to give SKA some margin for error-covering the possibility of a draw after 60 minutes. My pick: SKA double chance (X2) in regulation.
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Betting Tips: Barys Astana - SKA St. Petersburg
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