On February 22, 2025, KHL fans will be treated to two exciting matchups featuring teams vying for playoff positions. The games will see Barys Astana face Admiral Vladivostok and SKA St. Petersburg take on Kunlun Red Star, both promising high-stakes competition and thrilling action.
First up, Barys Astana will host Admiral Vladivostok at the Barys Arena. Currently, Barys has struggled throughout the season, finding themselves entrenched at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. After recent disappointing losses to Metallurg and Severstal, Barys is under immense pressure. Head coach Galym Mambetaliyev has shifted focus from this season's results to preparing players for the Asian Games, where the Kazakhstan national team secured gold medals, leaving the club's current performance overshadowed.
Admiral, on the other hand, entered the season with high expectations, but their fortunes have fluctuated. Despite starting strong, they have faced some setbacks, including recent losses to Avangard and Tractor. Nonetheless, Admiral remains competitive, sitting at eighth place and aiming for playoff qualification. They have secured victories against Barys previously, winning four out of their last five encounters.
Statistics reveal Admiral's recent dominance over Barys, with Admiral winning the past two encounters between the teams, which included close call scores of 3:2 and 4:3. Predictions suggest Admiral will maintain their winning streak, with betting odds favoring them at 1.70 to win this clash. With both teams historically exchanging goals, bettors are also eyeing the over/under on total goals, which stands at 4.5, reflecting these teams' offensive capabilities.
Meanwhile, the other highly anticipated match on the same day features SKA St. Petersburg taking on Kunlun Red Star at SKA Arena. SKA, strong contenders for the playoffs, have had uneven performances this season, suffering significant defeats but also claiming important victories. Currently placed fifth in the Western Conference, they're closely chasing higher seeds.
SKA's inconsistency is evident through their latest games where they alternated between wins and losses. The team’s most recent outings included impressive performances against Vityaz and Barys, illustrating their potential when on form. Despite recent losses, including one to Ak Bars, fans remain hopeful for strong performances to close the regular season.
Kunlun Red Star has had their fair share of struggles too. The team, which recently managed to break a seven-match losing streak, finds themselves ninth, clinging to slim playoff aspirations after suffering setbacks against tough opponents like Lokomotiv. Their performance against SKA has enhanced their competitive stature, having won two of their last three meetings against the Petersburg club. Their last match ended with SKA decimatively winning 8-0.
Betting insights suggest SKA is favored to win this matchup with odds at 1.45. The team’s offensive statistics show they've consistently scored three or more goals against Kunlun, prompting betting lips to lean toward total goals exceeding 4.5 at odds of 1.35. Given the historical scoring proficiency of both squads, predictions project entertaining and high-scoring games.
Analysts also project SKA winning with a handicap of -1.5, showcasing their confidence against Kunlun, who remain under pressure without playoff security. Each squad has demonstrated resilience and scoring ability, meaning fans can anticipate back-and-forth action and exciting finishes.
With KHL matchups heating up heading toward the playoff stretch, fans, analysts, and bettors alike focus on these significant encounters. All eyes will be on these teams to see if they can perform under pressure and secure confidence-boosting victories.