Commentator Artyom Batrak has explained why he considers Ak Bars the favorite in the Gagarin Cup final series against Lokomotiv, predicting a 4-2 or 4-3 victory for the Kazan side.
“Ak Bars has an excellent power play — unlike Lokomotiv. I’d even say that Lokomotiv’s power play has sometimes been completely ineffective. Yes, they scored in previous series against Spartak, Salavat Yulaev, and Avangard, and there were moments in 6-on-5 situations, but overall their man advantage looked very laborious. At times, watching their 5-on-4 play was literally painful, especially for Yaroslavl fans — the team struggled to enter the offensive zone and barely created any pressure on the opponent.”
“On the other hand, we can talk a lot about experience. Lokomotiv has been in recent finals: losing to Metallurg, then beating Traktor, and now back in the final — even with a different coach. Ak Bars doesn’t have that kind of experience. But I think for Lokomotiv, this could even be a slight disadvantage. The core of the team has hardly changed, and after three years of deep playoff runs, fatigue inevitably builds up — not just physical, but mental. Especially in games with enormous psychological pressure.”
“Plus, Lokomotiv had a tough seven-game series against Avangard, while Ak Bars, though not without problems, got past Metallurg in five games. So it feels that by the fourth or fifth game of the series, the freshness advantage could lean toward Ak Bars.”
“There’s another factor that’s hard to explain rationally — the hunger factor. I think Ak Bars is simply hungrier right now. Eight years without a final, eight years without the Cup — and now the team returns to the top in very strong form. That’s why I feel Ak Bars is the favorite.”
“My prediction is that Ak Bars will win the Cup 4-2 or 4-3 in the series. Not because of some huge advantage, but thanks to small details and micro-moments where the team currently looks a bit stronger. Perhaps it’s just a feeling, but that’s the impression ahead of the final,” Batrak said.
