KHL Preview: Ak Bars vs Torpedo in Kazan on Monday, Nov. 9

On Monday, Nov. 9, at 19:00 Moscow time at Tatneft Arena, Ak Bars host Torpedo of Nizhny Novgorod in what is listed as week eleven of the KHL. A forecast for this pairing is a delicate matter: a search did not show me a current table or lineups, and I won't invent numbers.

What is known for certain. On Oct. 30, the Kazan side beat Amur 3-1 and snapped a six-game home losing streak — and for that reason alone it's worth watching whether the hosts can build on that confidence. Torpedo will arrive with no illusions: Nizhny Novgorod rarely finds it comfortable in Kazan. The same teams meet again on Dec. 28, this time in Nizhny, so the winner of Monday's game gets a psychological edge for a month and a half.

My forecast: a slight edge to Ak Bars — at home, riding emotion after a win. But I expect a gritty game, decided by a goal or two, and, as often in the KHL, by special teams. This is an opinion, not a guarantee; check lineups and the table at khl.ru.