First round’s finest: Sateri, Larsen, Omark, and Minulin

The Kontinental Hockey League’s commission has determined the best player of the playoffs’ first round in four categories.

- best goalie was Harri Sateri (Sibir), who won four of five games against Avtomobilist, including two shutouts (both during road games). The Finn netminder had a saves percentage of 96.11% (facing 180 shots, an average of 36.0 per game) with a goals-against average of 1.45. Sateri had a shutout streak of 142 minutes and 25 seconds (the best result of the first round).

- best defenseman was Philip Larsen (Salavat Yulaev), who won four of six games with his team against Avangard, scoring 4 (1+3) points. The Danish blueliner posted no negative ratings, ending the series plus-five. He also recorded five hits.

- best forward was Linus Omark (Salavat Yulaev), who won four of six games with his team against Avangard, scoring 1 (1+11) points. The Swedish forward scored less than two points only in one match and had a hat-trick of assists in game-three. Omark posted no negative ratings, ending the series plus-seven.

- best rookie was defenseman Artyom Minulin (Metallurg), who scored 3 (1+2) points in the series against Barys. His two assists in game-two, and his goal in game-five were his first in the KHL. Minulin posted no negative ratings, ending the series plus-3, had an average time on ice of 15 minutes and 21 seconds, had eight shots on goal, and recorded seven hits.