HC Traktor Chelyabinsk - HC Lada Togliatti predictions and free betting tips [18/09/2023]

The regular KHL championship for the 2023/2024 season is at an intriguing juncture. The teams often crossing paths at the start of the championship are set to duel once again in three weeks' time. Chelyabinsk's Traktor will be hosting Lada from Togliatti, a team that's been performing impressively. The match will conclude Traktor's home series.

Traktor Chelyabinsk

Traktor decided to revise their game significantly this year, focusing on a modern, attacking hockey style. Exciting to watch and filled with goals aplenty. Yet, coach Anvar Gatiyatulin consistently stressed the core focus would remain on securing results through defence-oriented hockey, even if that meant scoring over three goals. Speculating their previous games, whenever Traktor scored three goals, they usually emerged victorious. A recent example would be the victory against Avtomobilist, secured with just two goals, similar to the initial match of the season against Lada, both games ending with 2:1 victories for Traktor. It's also crucial to note that the team hasn't played a single clean 'no-goal' game this season. Even so, Traktor is on a two-match-winning streak, equalling their maximum from last season, and they are indeed striving to beat their previous best.

Lada Togliatti

Lada, notably considered as one of the outsiders of the Eastern conference, started on a low note with three crushing losses, demonstrating a non-KHL level performance. However, one win against Amur ignited a winning streak – a victory against Traktor (3:1), an overtime loss against Metallurg (2:3), followed by a win against Metallurg again (3:1), allowing them to rake in 7 out of 8 possible points from the previous four matches. This surprising feat becomes more impressive, considering Metallurg's top-ranking in the Eastern conference and Traktor being an acknowledged favourite. Lada's playstyle has been consistent, focusing less on permitting goals whilst ensuring at least three goals in the victorious matches.

Head-to-Head

Seventeen matches have transpired between Traktor and Lada. Traktor enjoys the upper hand with ten wins as opposed to Lada's seven victories.

Prognosis

Once again, Betsiti's odds highlight Lada's opponent as the favourite. This time, Traktor's odds are slightly higher than before, sitting at 1.64, while Lada's odds stand at a whopping 4.90. Riskier bets may find these odds alluring, but I'd propose a different approach.

Total

Choosing the total ITO2 (1.5) for 1.74 looks like a confident bet, given that the likelihood of Traktor conceding two goals seems plausible. Lada has consistently been able to achieve this in their last five matches. This is our preferred pick, but the daring among you could consider a higher-risk option: ITO2 (2.5) for 3.30. Yet, in such a scenario, it might be wiser to opt for a Lada victory, as the odds would indeed be higher, and Lada usually trends towards victory with three goals under her belt.