SKA St. Petersburg vs Severstal Cherepovets Tips and Predictions - Expert Predictions
I’m taking Severstal to win tonight, including overtime and a shootout. The hosts have won four straight, scoring 14 goals and allowing just six along the way.
SKA have lost four of their last five, conceding 24 goals across that stretch. I’d rather be on the side putting together complete performances than the one needing its attack to keep digging it out of trouble.
Last week’s meeting gives me another reason to like the hosts. Severstal went into St. Petersburg and won 5–2, outshooting SKA 39–31. One result wouldn’t convince me to back them again, but it fits the wider picture.
Severstal are allowing 2.21 goals per game this season, compared with SKA’s 3.23. Both teams have eight wins, but there is a sizeable difference in how well they are keeping opponents quiet.
I’m keeping overtime and the shootout included rather than pushing for a regulation victory. SKA still average 3.62 goals per game, and four of their 13 outings have been tied after 60 minutes.
They have enough scoring to keep this close, but Severstal’s recent balance makes them my outright winner selection. No verified decimal price is available for this draft, so I’m not attaching invented odds to the pick.
Key Stats and Trends
- Severstal have won four consecutive games, scoring 14 goals and conceding six.
- SKA have lost four of their last five games, allowing 24 goals across those five outings.
- Severstal beat SKA 5–2 on October 6 and held a 39–31 advantage in shots on goal.
- Severstal have won four of seven home games this season, while SKA have won three of seven away games.
SKA St. Petersburg Form
SKA’s latest outing ended in a 4–3 overtime defeat at Dynamo Moscow. They recovered from 3–1 down to force the extra period, but that followed regulation defeats against Severstal and Dinamo Minsk. Their last five games have brought one win, 18 goals scored and 24 conceded.
Matvei Korotky has scored in each of his last two appearances and recorded five points across his last five. Nikolai Goldobin leads SKA with 19 points in 13 games, while Sergei Plotnikov has nine goals and six assists. Plotnikov has also registered 18 shots across his last five outings.
Tonight’s starting goaltender and final lineup have not been verified for this draft. SKA are allowing an average of 35.2 shots and 3.23 goals per game this season. Those are team figures, rather than the record of an individual goaltender.
Severstal Cherepovets Form
Severstal followed their 5–2 victory over SKA with a 3–2 win at Torpedo and a 4–1 success at Ak Bars. Those three road victories extended their winning streak to four games. They have conceded no more than two goals in any game during that run and sit on 18 points from 14 outings.
Ioannis Kaldis has registered a point in four consecutive appearances, collecting one goal and three assists across his last five games. Danil Veryayev has scored in each of his last two appearances, while Denis Yan has seven goals and 10 points from 14 games this season.
Severstal return home after their October 10 game at Ak Bars, with two clear days between that outing and tonight’s fixture. Their starting goaltender and final lineup have not been verified for this draft, so no injury-related absences or lineup changes are being assumed.