### Roster Rundown
Diving into the rosters,
HC Spartak Moscow brings a mix of seasoned talent and youthful vigor. Nikolay Goldobin, known for his slick passing and quick wrist shots, has racked up an impressive 42 assists and 23 goals this season. He's not just a playmaker but a threat every time he’s on ice. Meanwhile, the defensive line is anchored by Michal Cajkovsky, who’s been a rock with 88 blocked shots and a plus-minus of +15, proving he’s not shy from crashing the net when needed. Then there's Mikhail Maltsev, a versatile forward who's put up 18 goals—his knack for finding the back of the net has saved Spartak on more than a few occasions. Absences? Yeah, they’ve got a couple. Andrei Loktionov, out with a shoulder injury, leaves a gap in their offensive strategy, while Yegor Savikov’s absence due to a lower-body injury means Spartak's defense has to tighten up without one of their key blueliners.
Severstal Cherepovets, on the other hand, leans heavily on Ilya Ivantsov, a forward who’s been a dynamo with 30 goals, keeping opponents' goalies on their toes. Meanwhile, Adam Liska's agile play style and 35 assists have been crucial to Severstal’s offensive push. On defense, Mark Barberio has been a stalwart, contributing not just with his defensive play but also with 20 assists. The absence of Yaroslav Dyblenko, out with a wrist injury, is a noticeable hit to their defensive core. And, with Dmitry Shugayev, their goaltender, sidelined due to an ankle sprain, there’s some uncertainty in the net for Severstal.
### Head-to-Head
These two squads have tangled quite a bit over the years, with Spartak Moscow holding a slight edge. Here’s a look at their recent matchups:
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HC Spartak Moscow 3-2
Severstal Cherepovets [March 12, 2025]
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HC Spartak Moscow 1-0
Severstal Cherepovets [February 20, 2025]
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HC Spartak Moscow 5-4
Severstal Cherepovets [February 1, 2025]
### Recent Form
Spartak Moscow’s recent form reads like a rollercoaster: a win against Severstal (1-0), a loss (2-5), another close win (5-4), a tight victory over Lada (3-2), and another tough loss to Severstal (4-2). Consistency? Not really.
Severstal Cherepovets? They’ve had their share of ups and downs too: a win over Spartak (5-2), a loss (0-1), a couple more losses to Spartak (2-4, 4-5), and a solid win against Dynamo Moscow (3-2).
### Wrap-Up
With the standings in mind, Spartak is sitting just above Severstal with a slightly better record. Both teams have had their share of triumphs and setbacks, with Spartak leading the head-to-head tally. Severstal’s recent win against Dynamo might give them a confidence boost, but the absence of key players like Dyblenko and Shugayev could spell trouble. Spartak’s got their own absences to deal with, though, and their form’s been anything but predictable.
### Summary
Given the stats and recent games, it's looking like Spartak Moscow might have the edge—if Goldobin and Maltsev can keep up their offensive momentum and Severstal struggles without their key defensive players. But hey, this is hockey, and anything can happen once that puck drops. Let’s see if Spartak can bury those chances and continue their winning streak against Severstal.
Match Odds HC Spartak Moscow – Severstal Cherepovets
Leon's odds are - on HC Spartak Moscow prevailing on their territory.
At this moment our odds are equal to - on Severstal Cherepovets visiting team's winning.
Draw odds are -.
