Avtomobilist vs Salavat Yulaev Ufa Prediction
🔊 The Ufa club has dramatically turned the tide of the series. Following their defeat in Yekaterinburg, Viktor Kozlov's squad has secured three consecutive victories. Salavat Yulaev returns to the Urals as a team poised to clinch a spot in the second round ahead of schedule, despite being the lower-seeded side. Our editorial team anticipated a potential surprise in the series outcome in our tournament preview. Now, let's delve into the details of the fifth game of the first-round series in the Gagarin Cup 2026, set to take place on March 31.
Head-to-Head
📊 Over the past three seasons, Salavat Yulaev and Avtomobilist have clashed 16 times: the Ufa side claimed victory in seven matches, while the Yekaterinburg team won nine. In the current series in Yekaterinburg, the teams exchanged shutout victories (2-0 for the Urals and 1-0 for the Ufa side). Both games in Bashkortostan ended with wins for the hosts, 4-3 and 5-2.
H2H Stats Matches and Previous Teams Results
Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg Team Overview
Avtomobilist urgently need to address their scoring efficiency (5.34% shot conversion rate) if they want to at least take the series back to Ufa. The team averages just 1.75 goals per game, ranking them 14th in the tournament. While the Urals side doesn't concede much either (2.50 goals per game on average), it's crucial they adapt to the opponent's momentum, as their rivals have scored more in the last two games than Avtomobilist have in the entire series.
The "Drivers" are the worst in the Gagarin Cup when it comes to power play conversion. Neither they nor Sibir have managed to score with a man advantage yet, although they've had more opportunities than the Siberians (six attempts compared to four). Their penalty killing, however, is a saving grace, boasting a 91.7% success rate, which is the third-best in the tournament.
Match Results: Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg
Salavat Yulaev Ufa Team Overview
The Ufa team, averaging 2.50 goals per game, ranks among the top five highest-scoring teams in the playoffs. However, Salavat Yulaev's power play conversion rate is only eighth at 8.26% among all teams in the Gagarin Cup. With an average of 1.75 goals conceded, they are in the top three for best defense in the tournament.
The series between the "Yulaevtsy" and the "Drivers" isn't about special teams play, as Ufa's power play efficiency stands at just 8.3%, one of the three weakest performances. Salavat Yulaev is one of only two teams that have not conceded a shorthanded goal in the playoffs.
Match Results: Salavat Yulaev Ufa
Latest news
Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg
💬 Avtomobilist's head coach Nikolai Zavarukhin: “We need to minimize mistakes against a fast team and stick to our game plan, just like we did in our home games, which brought us results. Here, we didn't quite execute properly, to put it mildly. Right now, we're like sappers - every game is crucial.”
❌ Jesse Blacker's participation is in doubt after he picked up an injury in the last match. Kirill Vorobyov, the KHL's top shot-blocking defenseman, missed his second consecutive game, as did his defensive partner Nikita Ishimnikov.
↔️ Between games in Ufa, Nikolai Zavarukhin experimented with a new pairing for the second defensive line (Maxim Osipov - Yaroslav Busyghin), moved Brooks Macek to the top forward line, left Maxim Denezhkin and Alexei Byvaltsev out of the lineup, and included the experienced Anatoly Golyshev along with playoff debutant Yegor Chernikov.
Salavat Yulaev Ufa
💬 Salavat Yulaev's head coach Viktor Kozlov: "It's like tennis - you can't just sit back. To win, you have to keep working. Here, we need to focus more on the process itself, on the actions the guys will take in preparation for the match and during the game."
❌ On Salavat Yulaev's injury list are defensemen Alexander Komarov and Evgeny Kulik.
↔️ Back in action after serving a suspension is forward Evgeny Kuznetsov. He replaced Denis Yan in the lineup, while Denis Alalykin, who played his 200th KHL game, moved to the third offensive line. Ildan Gazimov filled in for the injured Kulik on defense.
⚡️ Leaders
The second-leading scorer in the playoffs is Daniel Sprong, who has tallied 5 points (4 goals, 1 assist) over four games. The Dutch forward has been on fire, finding the net in 6 of his last 7 games, including the regular season. Alexander Sharov has also been productive, registering points in 3 out of 4 playoff matches (1 goal, 2 assists).
The title of top scorer for the Bashkir club is currently shared between the series' standout, Maxim Kuznetsov (3 goals, 1 assist), and Vladislav Yefremov (1 goal, 3 assists). Both players have consistently recorded two points per game in their last two appearances. Sheldon Rempal has been impactful as well, contributing in 3 out of 4 games in the series with 2 goals and 1 assist.
🥅 Goalies
Despite conceding four goals in the third game, Avtomobilist's coaches stuck with Vladimir Galkin in net. However, after he allowed four more during an incomplete fourth match, he was replaced by Yevgeny Alikin, who recently recovered from a concussion. In the playoffs, Galkin has a save percentage of 91.9% and a goals-against average (GAA) of 2.45. Alikin made 9 saves in just 16 minutes of the previous game, boasting a perfect save percentage.
Semyon Vyazovoy continues to affirm his status as one of the most reliable goaltenders in the Eastern Conference teams. He has stopped 94.7% of shots faced (124 saves) with a GAA of 1.76. In terms of save percentage, he ranks fourth among all goalies who have played at least one full match.
Editor's Prediction
Two consecutive high-scoring games-even with an empty-net goal-are surprising in a series once dubbed as potentially the most defensive in the playoffs. Ufa have little reason to open up in the upcoming game; both players and coaches openly state that playing as reliably as they did in the series' early games is enough for a win. In each of Avtomobilist's last five home games, fans have not witnessed more than five goals. Our pick for the upcoming match is under 5 goals total. This option has proven profitable in 5 of Salavat Yulaev's last 6 away playoff games.
Betting Tips: Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg - Salavat Yulaev Ufa
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