Lokomotiv vs CSKA. Who will be stronger in the fourth game of the series?

The continuation of the cup confrontation between Lokomotiv and CSKA awaits hockey fans on March 23. The fourth game of the series will again take place in Yaroslavl, on the ice of the local Arena - 2000 Lokomotiv. At the moment, the score in the series is 2-1 in favor of CSKA.

• Expert Predictions Analysis
• Statistics
• Odds
• Game Totals Prediction

Our Expert Predictions & Analysis on Lokomotiv vs CSKA

Lokomotiv

The railroad workers returned to the cup race, having brilliantly played the third match of the series, which took place on Tuesday in Yaroslavl. Finally, quantity turned into quality. Over the previous two away matches, Lokomotiv hockey players made 77 shots on target at the army goal, but scored only two goals. A similar level of implementation became the main reason for the defeats, in Moscow Lokomotiv lost twice 0-2 and 2-3, immediately defining itself as a catch-up.

In fact, the third match became the key for Lokomotiv hockey players in this series. One more defeat would have been a verdict for the Yaroslavl team, so Lokomotiv finally moved away from the usual defensive style and played the first number. Everything that did not fly in the first two matches, flew now. Ivan Chekhovich's hat-trick, complete dominance during the match, six goals scored - perhaps this was Lokomotiv's best game this season. A convincing victory with a score of 6-2 and Lokomotiv to a minimum reduces the gap in this series.

CSKA

But the army team once again in the course of this season was summed up by the lack of elementary stability. This was already noticeable during the first round of the playoffs, when the CSKA players lost three times to Severstal, dragging the series to the possible maximum. And now, after the Moscow matches, it seemed that the fate of the quarterfinal confrontation had already been decided. But the army team once again stepped on the same rake, allowing Lokomotiv to revive the intrigue in this confrontation.

To some extent, the course of the match was influenced by a quick puck from Yaroslavl in the second minute of the match, which forced the army team to play more open hockey. Maxim Mamin managed to even the score in the first period, but later the capital team was only in the role of catching up. At the beginning of the second period, Lokomotiv was ahead with a score of 3-2 (the second puck of the army team was scored by Konstantin Okulov), but later the game was completely dictated by the hosts. The army team missed three unanswered goals, eventually losing heavily with a score of 2-6.

Statistics

In the recent history of Lokomotiv there was already a case when the railroaders saved the series, losing on the move - the passage of Lokomotiv 3.46. Lokomotiv is traditionally considered a closed team, playing blatantly defensive hockey, but in the course of the current playoffs the Yaroslavl team scored twice in front of their opponent - individual total 1 more(2.5) 2.3. If we analyze the meetings between Lokomotiv and CSKA in Yaroslavl, the picture over the past few years is as follows: Over the past five years the teams have met 17 times, 8 wins for Lokomotiv, 9 for the Army team from Moscow.

Odds from download 1xbet

The victory in the third match markedly changed the bookmaker's hands. Now Lokomotiv is the favorite of the upcoming match, with odds of 2.31 to win in regular time. The option with the victory of the army team can be taken for 3.05, a draw in regular time - 3.45. As for the performance of the teams, 1xbet offers the following quotes: total over (4.5) - 2.19, total under (4.5) - 1.68. Install the 1xbet app and place a bet on the favorite!

Game Totals Prediction

Lokomotiv turned the tide of an unsuccessfully developing series for itself, and did it in a style that was not typical for itself. Good luck to the team was brought by the game with the first number, with a pronounced emphasis on attack. It is unlikely that the Yaroslavl coaching staff will radically change anything in tactics, so there is a high probability that these teams will once again see an open game in the performance, with a large number of goals scored. Our prediction is Total Over 4.5 with odds of 2.19.