Bars Kazan secured a 3:2 victory over Lada in a Kontinental Hockey League match on Sunday. The hosts finished top of the board after eight games, while Lada remained rooted to tenth place following seven outings.
We had tipped the home side to win, and the result backed that call. The confidence was 66 per cent, which felt right given their recent run. Lada came in with only one victory from seven games, a tally that made the deficit clear.
The game itself was a grind. Bars Kazan were sitting second in the standings, three points adrift of the leaders after their record of five wins and three losses. Lada had dropped six of seven, a run that ended a barren spell only briefly with their win against Dynamo Minsk.
Recent form
- Bars Kazan lost 2:3 to Sochi on Wednesday and beat Salavat Yulaev 4:3 on Monday
- Lada were hammered 6:0 by Barys on Saturday and lost 2:7 to Nizhny Novgorod earlier in the week
That contrast in momentum mattered. Bars Kazan had tasted defeat in four of their last five, but this time they saw it out. Lada's defence had looked vulnerable, especially against the top sides, and the visitors couldn't find a way back once the hosts took control.
The win moves Bars Kazan to 15 points, keeping them within striking distance of the summit. Lada sit on just 3 points, a gap that feels insurmountable with so few games remaining. The visitors will need to rediscover their winning touch if they are to avoid the drop.
