Hc Dynamo Moscow - HC Traktor Chelyabinsk predictions and free betting tips [16/03/2024]

Continental Hockey League playoffs. Gagarin Cup 2024. Quarterfinals. The series stands 0:0. Uniquely in this second round of playoffs, these teams have previously met in the Gagarin Cup, specifically in the Gagarin Cup final in 2013. Additionally, this clash pits the highest-seeded team against the lowest. Dynamo Moscow will host Tractor Chelyabinsk.

Dynamo Moscow

There are significant doubts concerning Dynamo. In their first playoff series, the team's performance against Dynamo Minsk was abysmal, albeit they managed to play an extremely lucky majority. Still, the crew that finished first in the whole KHL, should not experience such troubles. It's worth noting that if Minsk were based in the Eastern conference, they would not have made playoffs at all.

Questions remain around Nikita Gusev who did not appear in training before the series, making his presence for game one uncertain. Despite Dynamo having the highest seeding, they don't seem to be the standout favourites after the first round. Things can change, literally in 24 - it's playoff after all, blending the mix. Importantly, Dynamo Moscow no longer resembles the playoffs' principal favourite.

Tractor Chelyabinsk

Contrarily, Tractor Chelyabinsk surprised many in the first round of playoffs. At the end of the regular season, the team was in disastrous form, losing three out of four games on the Far East. It seems this failure played to their advantage, acting as a wake-up call. A team gathering seems to have addressed many issues. With the playoffs underway, the team's problems evaporated.

Despite analysts suggesting Tractor merely rode their luck in round one, bearing witness to half the matches gave an impression of equally competitive games. Teams displayed their potential during varied periods. Tractor is positioned as the genuine first-round sensation, but with issues for their opponents and a tweak to their approach, they do not appear like an easy ride. My belief is that Tractor have greater odds of winning this series than Dynamo.

Head-to-Head Meetings

In their 38 matches together, Dynamo Moscow prevailed 23 times whilst Tractor Chelyabinsk secured 15 wins. This season, both games have gone to Dynamo - 4:2 and 4:3 in shootouts.

Prediction

For this fixture, I'd favour Tractor to win - it's well within reality for them to win the first match, especially given their superior performance in the first round.

Total Prediction

As for totals, it's fairly evident to consider the TO (4.5) at 1.82, as Chelyabinsk did not achieve this total in only one out of six games in the previous series.