Metallurg vs Spartak. Will the owners be able to build on their success?
The second match of the quarterfinal series between Metallurg and Spartak will again take place in Magnitogorsk. The game will take place on Tuesday, March 19, on the ice of Magnitogorsk Arena Metallurg. At the moment the score in the series is 1-0 in favor of Metallurg.
Last season, Metallurg finished the cup campaign in the second round, failing to win a single match in the confrontation with Omsk Avangard. Such a failure cost Ilya Vorobyov his place, who was replaced by the ambitious Andrei Razin, who made a name for himself over the years of work at Severstal. During the summer off-season, Metallurg underwent quite serious personnel changes, so much was not expected from the Ural team this season. However, following the results of the regular season, Metallurg became the best in the East, taking first place in a desperate struggle with Omsk Avangard.
Metallurg's opponent in the first round of the playoffs was Khabarovsk Amur, which finished in eighth place. It was not an easy ride for the Metallurg hockey players; the Khabarovsk team managed to impose a serious fight on the favorite, winning two victories. The seriousness of the resistance is evidenced by the fact that Metallurg won three matches with a difference of one goal and only once the advantage of the Urals was two goals. All the more surprising is the result of the first quarterfinal match, in which Metallurg confidently defeated Spartak at home. Methodically increasing the pressure, Metallurg managed to score goals in each period, achieving a major victory with a score of 4-0.
Spartak
The red and white have become a real discovery of the current season, primarily in terms of the performance of Spartak hockey players. In 68 matches of the regular season, Spartak managed to score 233 goals, while the closest pursuer, SKA St. Petersburg, was 13 goals behind the red and white. At the same time, Spartak did not look its best on defense, becoming the worst team of the 16 participants in the current playoffs in terms of the number of goals conceded. Problems in defense did not allow Spartak to compete for prizes, so the team finished fourth in the West.
The coaching staff of Spartak did not deviate from its playing principles in the first round of the playoffs, where the rivals of the capital club were Cherepovets Severstal. In five matches of the series, Spartak hockey players managed to score 21 goals; for comparison, Metallurg scored only 15 goals in a 6-match series against Amur. Having passed Severstal after five matches, Spartak received an additional couple of days of rest before the meeting with Metallurg, but in the end this did not help the red-whites. The attacking line of the capital's club played unexpectedly poorly, with 34 shots on target and zero goals scored. The hosts were luckier, managing to score four goals.
Our Expert Predictions & Analysis on Metallurg vs Spartak
MetallurgLast season, Metallurg finished the cup campaign in the second round, failing to win a single match in the confrontation with Omsk Avangard. Such a failure cost Ilya Vorobyov his place, who was replaced by the ambitious Andrei Razin, who made a name for himself over the years of work at Severstal. During the summer off-season, Metallurg underwent quite serious personnel changes, so much was not expected from the Ural team this season. However, following the results of the regular season, Metallurg became the best in the East, taking first place in a desperate struggle with Omsk Avangard.
Metallurg's opponent in the first round of the playoffs was Khabarovsk Amur, which finished in eighth place. It was not an easy ride for the Metallurg hockey players; the Khabarovsk team managed to impose a serious fight on the favorite, winning two victories. The seriousness of the resistance is evidenced by the fact that Metallurg won three matches with a difference of one goal and only once the advantage of the Urals was two goals. All the more surprising is the result of the first quarterfinal match, in which Metallurg confidently defeated Spartak at home. Methodically increasing the pressure, Metallurg managed to score goals in each period, achieving a major victory with a score of 4-0.
Spartak
The red and white have become a real discovery of the current season, primarily in terms of the performance of Spartak hockey players. In 68 matches of the regular season, Spartak managed to score 233 goals, while the closest pursuer, SKA St. Petersburg, was 13 goals behind the red and white. At the same time, Spartak did not look its best on defense, becoming the worst team of the 16 participants in the current playoffs in terms of the number of goals conceded. Problems in defense did not allow Spartak to compete for prizes, so the team finished fourth in the West.
The coaching staff of Spartak did not deviate from its playing principles in the first round of the playoffs, where the rivals of the capital club were Cherepovets Severstal. In five matches of the series, Spartak hockey players managed to score 21 goals; for comparison, Metallurg scored only 15 goals in a 6-match series against Amur. Having passed Severstal after five matches, Spartak received an additional couple of days of rest before the meeting with Metallurg, but in the end this did not help the red-whites. The attacking line of the capital's club played unexpectedly poorly, with 34 shots on target and zero goals scored. The hosts were luckier, managing to score four goals.
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