AK Bars Kazan vs Salavat Yulaev UFA Prediction 28 January 2026
🔊 What intrigues lie in the sixth "green derby" of the current season? One of the most captivating matchups on Wednesday's KHL schedule is the clash between Ak Bars and Salavat Yulaev at the Tatneft Arena. This season, the Kazan side find themselves in a favorable position, both in terms of roster formation and consistent results. Meanwhile, the Ufa team remains resilient and capable of fighting for those crucial points. Bookmakers give a threefold advantage to Anvar Gatiyatulin's squad.
Head-to-Head
📊 Currently, Ak Bars are dominating Salavat Yulaev in their season series with a 4-1 lead. The previous encounter at the Tatneft Arena ended in a resounding victory for the Kazan club, 6-3. It's worth noting that in their last 10 head-to-head clashes in the capital of Tatarstan, the visitors have only celebrated success once-during the 2023/24 season, with a 1-0 win. It was Alexander Khmelevsky's goal that decided the outcome of that match.
Head-to-head statistics AK Bars Kazan - Salavat Yulaev UFA
AK Bars Kazan Team Overview
🟢 Kazan's Ak Bars are in decent form, having avoided defeat in regulation time over their last five games. However, Anvar Gatiyatulin's squad fell short against Sibir Novosibirsk this past weekend, losing 2-3 in overtime. Despite this setback, the "Bars" hold onto the second spot in the Eastern Conference standings, trailing leaders Metallurg by nine points. Recently, Ak Bars completed the transfer of Nathan Todd. The 30-year-old forward shared his thoughts on joining the Kazan club: "I'm thrilled to join Ak Bars, it's a top club with a consistently strong team and roster. I can't wait to meet everyone and start playing. I've always enjoyed playing in Kazan, especially during the Green Derby-the city is beautiful and the arena atmosphere is fantastic. And of course, it's great to be teammates with Sasha Khmelevsky again."
Match Results: AK Bars Kazan
Salavat Yulaev UFA Team Overview
📌 Compared to last season, Salavat Yulaev are a completely different team. The departure of several key players forced a roster overhaul. Nevertheless, the solid coaching by Viktor Kozlov has positioned the "Greens" at 6th place in the Eastern Conference standings. Last Monday, the Ufa-based club secured a hard-fought victory at Minsk-Arena, overcoming local side Dinamo (2-1 OT). The main offensive force for Salavat Yulaev remains 18-year-old Alexander Zharovsky, who has posted 13 goals and 22 assists in 41 regular-season games. It's also crucial to consider the average statistics of Viktor Kozlov's squad, with 2.58 goals scored and 2.58 goals conceded per game. Whether the coaching staff can identify weaknesses in their arch-rival will be revealed very soon.
Match Results: Salavat Yulaev UFA
🏒 Projected Lineups
Ak Bars: Bilyalov - Terekhov, Miller - Barabanov, Safonov, Galimov
Salavat Yulaev: Vyazovoy - Panin, Zorkin - Brosso, Roduold, Rempal
🥅 Goaltenders
This season, Timur Bilyalov remains a pivotal figure for Ak Bars. The 30-year-old Russian has played 35 games so far. Let's highlight his goaltending performance over this period: a save percentage of 92.35%, a GAA of 2.25, and 3 shutouts.
Semyon Vyazovoy has firmly secured his position as Salavat Yulaev's number one goalie. Throughout the season, the Russian has shown resilience and excelled between the pipes. Here are the individual stats for the 22-year-old: a save percentage of 93.01%, a GAA of 2.18, and 1 shutout.
Editor's Prediction
It's worth noting that derby matches bring a whole different level of intensity. Ak Bars and Salavat Yulaev consistently push for success and actively challenge the opposition's goal. In fact, in four of Ufa's last five games, there have been at least six goals scored. A reasonable choice here would be to go for over 5 goals total.
No comments
Betting Tips: AK Bars Kazan - Salavat Yulaev UFA
in 9 of last 10 home games against Salavat Yulaev UFA (KHL).in 8 of last 9 games against Salavat Yulaev UFA (KHL).in 8 of last 9 games (KHL).in last 6 home games against Salavat Yulaev UFA (KHL).in 10 of last 11 home games (KHL).in last 7 away games (KHL).in last 6 games (KHL).
Other predictions
