In the high stakes world of KHL hockey the Lokomotiv squad stands just one victory away from lifting the Gagarin Cup after grinding out a solid 4 to 1 win in game five on home ice. The visitors from Kazan managed only a late consolation goal from Alexander Khmelevski but the match followed the pattern seen throughout the series where the side that opens the scoring usually seals the deal without much drama or late comebacks.
Team Form
Lokomotiv now leads the best of seven series three games to two and carries strong momentum into the sixth contest in Kazan. The club has shown remarkable consistency this postseason keeping most of last years championship roster intact and surviving a tough seven game battle against Avangard Omsk that went into overtime in the previous round.
- Lokomotiv has won three of the last four encounters in the series
- Ak Bars has secured both of its victories on home ice this postseason
- The team from Yaroslavl boasts a better goal difference overall in the playoffs
- Both sides have strong penalty kill units that limit power play opportunities
Tactical Analysis
The game plan for Lokomotiv revolves around protecting the early lead and using quick transitions to wear down the Kazan defense while Ak Bars will look to exploit any lapses with aggressive forechecking and special teams play. Home advantage in Kazan has already produced one win for Bob Hartleys men and they have shown the ability to adjust their style when facing confident opponents like Lokomotiv.
Strengths for the visitors include disciplined defensive structure and reliable goaltending whereas weaknesses lie in occasional slow starts on the road. For the hosts the key lies in capitalizing on crowd energy and avoiding unnecessary penalties that could hand momentum back to the league leaders.
Betting Proposal
Given the current series dynamics and Lokomotiv ability to grind out results away from home the most sensible option involves backing the visitors not to lose outright in regulation. This approach offers good value especially with the visitors holding the chance to close out the series on the road before a potential game seven back in Yaroslavl. Fora 2 (0) with coefficient 2.10 looks like the standout choice for this contest.
