Lokomotiv Yaroslavl - CSKA Moscow predictions and free betting tips [02/03/2024]

Play-offs of the Kontinental Hockey League. The Gagarin Cup 2024. First round. West Conference. Score in the series 0:1. The third match of the day will be another face-off, which ended with the defeat of the favourite if you trust the league table based on the regular championship results. Two teams, clashing in the play-offs for the third consecutive time. "Lokomotiv" in Yaroslavl will host CSKA from Moscow.

Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 

As experts predicted, as I said in the prediction for the first match of this series, Igor Nikitin's team went on to face the army club with fear in their eyes. Whatever the captain of the Yaroslavl team may say, "Lokomotiv" still harbours a fear of CSKA. It's impossible after two consecutive play-off losses to not develop a complex against this very team. This is because the same people who first swept you 4:0, and then demolished you in the decisive seventh match last year, are showing up for the third year.

And here we have the first meeting of this play-off, a mere continuation of last year's series, CSKA simply annihilated the club from Yaroslavl in all aspects. Yes, Lokomotiv had its moments, but this fear of the opponent was visible, that very fear that, in the end, doesn't even let you shoot properly at the goal. Thus, it turned out that Igor Nikitin couldn't rectify the situation, that his team is afraid of this first-round play-off opponent.

CSKA Moscow 

As for the army team, they've bounced back as if this disastrous regular championship never happened. Turns out Ivan Fedotov – is that goalie who carried the national team and then became the best goalie of the KHL, not the goalie who lets every shot in. Turns out, Nikita Nesterov, a holder of two Gagarin Cups, is a fantastic two-sided defender with a wealth of experience, not a defender who messes up in every shift and now, whatever happened in the regular championship is just fizz, forgotten.

CSKA hit the play-offs and switched on berserk mode and now it is interesting whether "Lokomotiv" can oppose anything, because, after the first match, chances seem nil. Also, it's worth noting the way the army team attacked in the first match of the series, it was just more of the same, nothing new. And if this familiar trend led to a cup before, why change it?

Head-to-head

"Lokomotiv" Yaroslavl – CSKA Moscow have played 73 matches. Of these, "Lokomotiv" won 32 times, while CSKA won 41 matches. In this regular season, four victories go to the Yaroslavl team - 2:1, 3:2, 2:1, and 5:4 in overtime. CSKA, however, won twice with scores of 2:1 and 3:0. The other day, in the play-offs, CSKA won with a score of 4:0.

Predictions

We, however, continue to back CSKA victories, they really were head and shoulders above in the first clash.

Total Prediction

Simple total prediction here - ITO2 (2.5) for 2.60. This seems the best option as I doubt Lokomotiv's formidable defence will be able to counter the attacking power from the army team.