KHL Odds and Picks (Oct. 24): Edward Pasquale and Lokomotiv Aim For Eighth Straight Win

• Lokomotiv is going for an eighth straight win against Neftekhimik
• Avtomobilist is listed as a +130 underdog against Avangard
• See odds and the best bets for the two KHL games on Saturday, Oct. 24 within the story below

Lokomotiv Yaroslavl will look to pick up their eighth straight win then they travel to Neftekhim Arena to face Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk on Saturday.

In the other game, Avtomobilist is a +130 underdog against Avangard in a clash of Eastern Conference powerhouses. Can Yekaterinburg still win without an absent Pavel Datsyuk?

See the odds for the two-game KHL slate on Saturday, Oct. 24 along with betting advice, below.

KHL Odds: Saturday, October 24th

Odds as of  Oct. 23 at DraftKings.

Avtomobilist vs Avangard Could Be Goalie Showdown 

It’s a battle of the two tops teams in the Eastern Conference when Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg and Avangard Omsk clash at Yury Lyapkin Arena in Balashikha. Avangard  is looking to bounce back from a 4-3 loss to Salavat Yulaev, while Avtomobilist is coming off a commanding 5-2 victory over Neftekhimik.

Anatoly Golyshev gets goal and assist, Avto defeats Neftekhimik 9th time in a row. #NKHvsAVT pic.twitter.com/6NCEKPnJY9

— KHL (@khl_eng) October 22, 2020

One of the reasons that Yekaterinburg is listed as the underdog is due to the status of superstar Pavel Datsyuk. He was absent from the team’s last game and it’s unknown if he’ll be returning Saturday. Avtomobilist is the highest-scoring team in the league, however, and they have plenty of other firepower available.

This game will feature two of the league’s top goalies in Avtomobilist’s Jakub Kovar and Avangard’s Igor Bobkov. Bobkov hasn’t allowed more than one goal in any of his eight appearances this season and will be facing a potentially fatigued Avtomobilist club that is playing its fifth straight game on the road and could be without one of its best players.

As good as Avangard has been defensively this season, they don’t have the offensive weapons that some of the other top teams possess. Sergei Tolchinsky is the only Omsk player averaging at least a point-per-game. Avtomobilist has allowed two or fewer goals in three straight games and their goalie is one of the league’s best. Expect a low-scoring affair in this one.

Pick: Avtomobilist vs Avangard Under Five Goals (+102)

Lokomotiv’s Offense Will Get Rewarded vs Neftekhimik 

Lokomotiv Yaroslavl is going for an eighth straight win when they face a lackluster Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk team on Saturday. Despite the winning streak, this is actually a somewhat frustrated Lokomotiv squad that has been held to a single goal in each of their last two games.

Lokomotiv is winning right now due to having the hottest goalie in the league in 29-year-old Canadian Edward Pasquale. He’s stopped 167-of-174 shots for an outstanding .960 save percentage and is not someone you want to bet against right now.

Edward Pasquale 🇨🇦 records shutout in 2nd straight game (28 SVs), Loko wins 7th in a row. #LOKvsSPR pic.twitter.com/ARJsd9Cayy

— KHL (@khl_eng) October 20, 2020

Another reason you should continue backing Lokomotiv on this winning streak is that their offense is due to explode. They’ve put up 86 shots on goal in their last two games and have just two goals to show for it. Yegor Korshkov, Vladimir Tkachyov and Artur Kayumov are too good to stay quiet for long.

Neftekhimik has lost two of their last three games and are giving up way too many goals this season (3.75 GAA) They do have home-ice advantage for this one, but Lokomotiv has taken two of the last three meetings at Neftekhim Arena Arena. Trust Yaroslavl’s high-powered offense to  breakthrough in this game and exploit a weak Nizhnekamsk defense.

Pick: Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (-155)