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Automobilist vs Lokomotiv: KHL Match Prediction
Lokomotiv will kick off their new away series on October 1 in Yekaterinburg. The Yaroslavl team has performed nearly flawlessly at home, while Avtomobilist suffered a loss in their first match back in the Urals. Both teams are at the top of their conference standings, but the home team risks losing their lead in the East with another defeat. Will Nikolai Zavarukhin find the right words to motivate his players? Or will the railwaymen keep on winning? These questions are at the heart of our match preview.
Command Analysis
Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg
Russian FederationCurrent Form
Automobilist enjoyed a successful road trip, securing eight points from four games under the guidance of Nikolai Zavarukhin. The team notched victories against Avangard (3-0), Lada (1-0), Neftekhimik (2-1), and Sibir (4-2), conceding only three goals in total. Upon returning to Uralets Arena, Anatoly Golyshev's squad took an early lead against Ak Bars but quickly faltered, finding themselves down by two goals by the first intermission (2-6). The hosts continue to hold the top spot in the East, currently boasting 15 points after 11 games.
Auto's performance heavily relies on their goalies. Evgeny Alikin and Vladislav Galkin have collectively saved 93.6% of shots this season and have recorded two shutouts between them. Both have excelled during the recent road stretch, enabling the Ural team to maximize their points. Overall, Automobilist's defense can be deemed reliable, allowing fewer than two goals per game, averaging 1.90.
Injuries and Suspensions
Curtis Volk is currently on the injured list.
Noteworthy Betting Trends
- The home team averages nearly 12 minutes in penalty time per game
Golyshev's team commits the most penalties in the league.
- The Ural team wins only 45.7% of face-offs
The centers for Auto have struggled at the dot, often losing key face-offs.
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
Russian FederationCurrent Form
Lokomotiv performed exceptionally at Arena 2000 in late September, excluding their match against Salavat Yulaev, where the Yaroslavl team squandered a two-goal lead after the second period (2:3, OT). In their other games, the Railwaymen consistently displayed strong hockey, securing victories in regulation time over Lada (2:1), Severstal (4:1), Avangard (3:2), and Sochi (3:1). These impressive results catapulted the Volga team to the top of the Western Conference and the league overall with 17 points from their first ten matches.
The "Locomotives" also excel defensively. Daniil Isaev and Alexei Melnychuk have saved 93.8% of shots faced, while the puck rarely reaches Alexander Yelesin's goal—averaging just 21 shots per game. Over the summer, Igor Nikitin worked to correct offensive mistakes, particularly in power plays. The visitors capitalize on opponents' discipline violations 30.3% of the time, averaging 2.8 goals per game this season.
Disciplinary Actions and Injuries
Denis Alekseev and Dmitry Simashev are still recovering from their injuries.
Notable Betting Trends
- Lokomotiv allows just 1.2 goals in regulation time
Loko remains the most reliable team in the entire KHL
- The Railwaymen win 55.1% of face-offs
The forwards from the Yaroslavl team consistently dominate face-offs.
Trends
Bet 1st period: total under 1.5 goals
«Railwaymen» conceded just two goals in the first periods over ten games, scoring six times
1.58Bet 2nd period: «Automobilist» will not score
«Auto» scored only six goals in the second periods over 11 matches
1.95Tip and bets
Avtomobilist remains heavily reliant on their goalies, and for the second consecutive time at home, the Ural team has displayed lackluster hockey. Meanwhile, Lokomotiv is charging ahead and continues to secure victories. Throughout September, the railroaders have excelled defensively, conceding very few goals. It will be incredibly challenging for Yekaterinburg to break through the visitors’ defense, and the Lokomotiv goalkeepers will need to be on their game. We doubt that Nikolai Zavarukhin's team can impose their style on Alexander Yelesin's squad. We believe that the locomotives will extend their winning streak. We recommend placing a bet on Lokomotiv to win the match.
Prediction - Lokomotiv to win the match at 1.72
Total Bet
Both teams aim to minimize goals against them, playing a defensive style of hockey. Lokomotiv is the lowest-scoring team in the West, with an average of exactly four goals per game in matches involving Yaroslavl. We believe that the game in Yekaterinburg will adhere to this trend.
We are betting on a total of under 4.5 goals at 1.85
Individual Total Bet
Loko concedes an average of just 1.2 goals per game, while Avtomobilist, despite a strong start to the season offensively, has struggled to convert chances in late September. In their last four matches, the Ural team scored only seven goals, and the visitors have not allowed more than two goals in a single game yet. We anticipate that Daniil Isaev will hold strong in Yekaterinburg and will not concede many goals.
We are taking Avtomobilist's individual total of under 2 goals with odds of 1.90
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