Torpedo vs Severstal Cherepovec Prediction
🔊 Potentially the most surprising outcome is unfolding in this series, where the sixth-seeded team in the Western Conference has taken the lead once more. Can Severstal rally again to level the series? Let's delve into the statistical trends and patterns ahead of Game 4 in this first-round series of the Gagarin Cup 2026.
Head-to-Head
📊 Over the past three seasons, Severstal and Torpedo have faced each other 15 times: the Cherepovets club claimed victory in nine games, while the Nizhny Novgorod side won six. In Cherepovets, the teams traded convincing wins-Torpedo triumphed 4-1, and Severstal secured a 4-0 victory. The first match in Nizhny Novgorod saw the hosts come out on top with a 3-1 win.
H2H Stats Matches and Previous Teams Results
Torpedo N. Novgorod Team Overview
With an average of 2.33 goals per game, Torpedo rank among the top six highest-scoring teams in this season's Gagarin Cup. The Nizhny Novgorod side boast the fourth-best shot conversion rate in the tournament at 9.86%. On average, they concede only 2.00 goals per game, placing them sixth in the tournament for defensive performance. Notably, Torpedo have never lost the first period in the series and have not conceded a goal in the opening segment within the first 60 minutes of play.
The Nizhny Novgorod club struggles with one of the weakest power play conversions in the tournament (14.3%), having converted just one out of seven opportunities. There are also concerns with their penalty killing; Alexei Isakov's team has allowed opponents 12 power play chances, three of which have been converted, resulting in a 75.0% penalty kill rate.
Match Results: Torpedo N. Novgorod
Severstal Cherepovec Team Overview
On average, Cherepovets' hockey players score only 2.00 goals per game, ranking them tenth in the tournament. Their shot conversion rate of 5.45% is also among the weakest in the competition. Severstal concede an average of 2.33 goals per match. So far, the second period has been the most successful for the visitors in terms of results (one win, one draw, and one loss) and scoring (3:3).
Severstal lead the Gagarin Cup in power-play goals, having converted three out of 12 opportunities. In penalty-killing situations, the "steelworkers" also impress with an 85.7% success rate in neutralizing opponents.
Match Results: Severstal Cherepovec
Latest news
Torpedo N. Novgorod
💬 Torpedo's head coach Alexey Isakov: “We're gradually starting to unveil our small strategies. We understand a bit more about each other than we did before the series began. We changed the entire third line after reviewing the last match and decided we needed fresh legs. We also know how to address our zone exit issues.”
❌ Torpedo's injury list is clear.
↔️ As expected, Alexey Isakov made significant changes following the heavy defeat in the previous game. Alexey Kruchinin, who is suspended for one match, is out of the lineup, along with defenseman Mikhail Naumenkov and forwards Egor Sokolov and Igor Geraskin, who were rotated out. The new third line features Timur Mukhanov, Kirill Svishchev, and Amir Garaev. Denis Alexandrov made his playoff debut on defense.
Severstal Cherepovec
💬 Severstal head coach Andrey Kozyrev: "Today, we lacked the finishing touch needed to score goals, even though we had chances to turn the game around. We had the energy and created opportunities at the end. At times, we were too indirect in our attack - when we needed to shoot, we passed instead."
❌ Defenseman Danil Veryayev suffered an injury in the last game, leaving the ice in the first period. His current condition and readiness to return remain uncertain.
↔️ The Severstal coaching staff made no changes to the lineup or player combinations on the ice following their victory.
⚡️ Key Players
Four Torpedo players each scored two points in the series: Egor Vinogradov (2+0), Vladislav Firstov, Vladimir Tkachev (both 1+1), and Anton Silaev (0+2). Including regular season games, Vinogradov has registered points in five of his last six matches.
The battle for the tournament's top scorer title sees Severstal forward Mikhail Ilyin (3+0) in the mix, while Alexander Skorenov (0+3) vies for the top playmaker. The Belarusian forward has notched an assist in each of the three games against Torpedo.
🥅 Goalkeepers
Denis Kostin, recovering from a heavy defeat in Cherepovets, has notably improved his standing in the goalkeeper rankings. He has made 104 saves with a 94.5% save percentage (sixth place) and a goals-against average (GAA) of 2.00 (ninth place).
Despite a shutout in the second game, Alexander Samoylov doesn't rank among the top ten most efficient goalies in the tournament. The Severstal netminder has 64 saves with a 92.8% save percentage. However, with a GAA of 1.71, Samoylov ranks eighth among all goalkeepers.
Editorial Prediction
It's likely we're in for another scenario where Severstal level the series score again. The options for the Cherepovets side are limited, as coming back from a potential 1-3 deficit would be quite challenging. To win, they need to score goals. In eight of their last nine games in Nizhny Novgorod, the "Steelers" have netted at least two goals, with their streak only breaking recently. This season, Severstal have not gone two consecutive away games without scoring or with just one goal. We predict that in the fourth game of the series, Severstal's individual total will exceed 2 goals.
Betting Tips: Torpedo N. Novgorod - Severstal Cherepovec
in 11 of last 12 home games against Severstal Cherepovec (KHL).in 7 of last 8 games against Severstal Cherepovec (KHL).in 9 of last 10 games against Severstal Cherepovec (KHL).in 7 of last 8 games (KHL).in 7 of last 8 games (KHL).in 6 of last 7 home games (KHL).in 7 of last 8 away games (KHL).
