[Oct 21, 2026 (Wed)] KHL Analysis Avtomobilist @ SKA Preview - BeaverStats

2026-10-20

This is an KHL analysis post written by AI.

Quick preview of Avtomobilist @ SKA (Oct 21, 2026 (Wed)).

*Written before starting goalies and lineups were confirmed! They can change right before puck drop, so check the link below for the latest data.

You can see the full, more detailed data on the game list.

This post was analyzed/written by AI based on data from beaverstats.com. Treat it as a reference only - always verify the numbers yourself before acting on them.

Avtomobilist @ SKA

Avtomobilist projected starting goalie: Evgeny Alikin @ SKA projected starting goalie: Artemy Pleshkov

Avtomobilist lead the 5v5 xG% by 12.8 points, but this game turns on how much of that gap Pleshkov's +12.9 home GSAx erases.

This season's 5v5 xG% is 55.6 for Avtomobilist (16 games) and 42.8 for SKA (15 games). Results run the other way: SKA are 8-6-1 with a 47-45 goal difference, Avtomobilist 6-8-2 at 39-44. At 5v5 it is 26-27 for Avtomobilist and 31-32 for SKA.

Alikin, the projected starter, has a .915 SV% and -6.4 GSAx in 23 road games over two seasons, 8-13 in starts. This season: 11 games, .920, -3.3, 5-6, with +0.9 GSAx over his last five and 3 goals allowed last time out. Pleshkov has a .936 SV%, +12.9 GSAx and an 11-4 record in 18 home games. This season: 9 games, .920, +2.9, 4-4, with -1.1 GSAx over the last five and 1 goal allowed last time.

Avtomobilist have lost three straight on the road, 4-1 at Astana, 4-2 at Omsk and 4-2 at Magnitogorsk. SKA have lost five straight, scoring nothing in the last two (0-1, 0-2).

Neither goalie is confirmed. If Galkin starts, Avtomobilist bring a .926 SV% and +2.3 GSAx over five games this season, +5.9 GSAx on the road. If Ivanov starts, SKA have a .910 SV% and +0.9 GSAx over six games, +10.7 GSAx at home.

In summary, shot quality favors Avtomobilist, while the goaltending record at home favors SKA. With both sides on losing streaks, who stops the slide first is the key, and whether Pleshkov's home form holds is the biggest variable.