Traktor Chelyabinsk vs Lada Prediction 28 August 2025
📣 Can the "Polar Bears" outplay their direct rivals, Tolyatti's Lada, and advance to the final of the Governor's Cup in the Chelyabinsk region? The "Black-and-Whites" haven't had a smooth run in their home tournament so far. Renowned goalkeeper Chris Driedger will be looking to keep Tolyatti's forwards at bay this time.
Head-to-Head
Over the years, the "Polar Bears" and the "Owls" have faced off on the ice 30 times. The tournament hosts have emerged victorious in 17 of these encounters, while the visitors have claimed 13 wins. This shows that the "Autoworkers" have held their own against the recent Gagarin Cup finalists. However, last season was a complete disaster for the "Owls," as they lost all four meetings. In 2025, Pavel Zubov's squad was thoroughly defeated by Chelyabinsk with an aggregate score of 15-1. The only goal for Tolyatti came in February, courtesy of young Alexander Gosudarev. Traktor's Shabanov and Kravtsov, who traditionally performed well, have since left the team to chase their NHL dreams. Interestingly, last year Tolyatti and Chelyabinsk also played a friendly match, which saw the "Black and Whites" secure a victory only in overtime, thanks to efforts from Dylan Sikura and Maxim Shabanov.
Head-to-head statistics Traktor Chelyabinsk - Lada
Traktor Chelyabinsk Team Overview
Last season, the team from Chelyabinsk delivered an impressive performance, racking up an incredible 96 points to claim the top spot in the Eastern Conference. In the playoffs, the ambitious Benoit Groulx initially faced some challenges against the resilient Admiral, but then lost only one game each in the series against Dynamo Minsk and Dynamo Moscow. However, four consecutive defeats in the final series against Lokomotiv pushed Chelyabinsk's dream of winning the Gagarin Cup at least another season away. This summer, the "Black and Whites" made waves in the transfer market by signing Salavat Yulaev's top scorer Joshua Leivo. Mikhail Grigorenko and Jordan Gross are also expected to be valuable additions for Chelyabinsk. In their home tournament, the Ural team has been somewhat inconsistent. After a shutout loss to Amur, they secured a crucial victory over HC Sochi, coming back after trailing 4-2 during the game.
Match Results: Traktor Chelyabinsk
Lada Team Overview
Last season, the team from Tolyatti couldn't make it to the playoffs. The club from the Samara region finished tenth in the East, collecting just 54 points, leaving them 15 points shy of eighth place. Over the summer, Boris Mironov took over as the new head coach of the "Owls." Notably, in the 2021/2022 season, Mironov led Spartak Moscow and previously guided Krasnaya Armiya to the Kharlamov Cup in the MHL. So far, Mironov's tenure is off to a solid start; during the preseason, the "Auto Workers" suffered only one regulation loss, a surprising 0-6 defeat to Metallurg Magnitogorsk without Silantyev and Kantserov in the lineup. On August 27, it was announced that 26-year-old Canadian defenseman Mac Hollowell would continue his career with Lada-a promising addition! It's worth noting that foreign players Riley Sawchuk and Joshua Lawrence also joined Tolyatti over the summer.
Match Results: Lada
🏒 Projected Lineups
Traktor: Driedger - Gross, Telegin - Leivo, Kadeykin, Der-Arguchintsev
Lada: Trushkov - Cotton, Zhukov - Kugryshev, Lawrence, Mikhailov
🥅 Goalies
The league newcomer, 31-year-old Chris Driedger, has recently been playing in the AHL. Last season, Chris appeared in 20 games for Charlotte, posting a fairly average goals-against average of 2.97. In the NHL, Driedger is known for his stints with Ottawa, Florida, and Seattle.
With Bocharov and Tretyak having already taken their turns in goal, it's anticipated that 29-year-old Alexander Trushkov will get his opportunity in the third game of the tournament. Last season, the goaltender played 36 games for Lada, recording a goals-against average of 2.73.
Editor's Prediction
Chelyabinsk are far from their peak form at the moment. In their first match, their disjointed offense without Shabanov and Kravtsov failed to break through Amur's defense, and in the second game, Logan Day and Jordan Gross were so focused on attacking that they conceded three quick goals to Sochi. Consider a bet on Lada with a handicap (+1.5). With this handicap, Tolyatti already concluded last year's friendly against the "Polar Bears." It's also worth noting the "Owls'" defensive successes; apart from a setback against Magnitogorsk, the "Automakers" have barely conceded in August.No comments
Betting Tips: Traktor Chelyabinsk - Lada
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