Best players of November

The Kontinental Hockey League’s commission has determined the best players of the Regular Season’s third month in four categories.

In September, the League’s teams played a total of 121 games, with 700 players (52 goalies, 230 defensemen, and 418 forwards) taking part in the action. The average goals-per-game was at 4.82.

— Best goalie for the first time in his career was Simon Hrubec (Avangard), who won seven of nine games last month. He faced 249 shots, or 24.9 per night, posting a saves percentage of 93.57% and a goals-against average of 1.60. Hrubec also posted two shutouts.

— Best defenseman for the first time in his career was Nikita Nesterov (CSKA), who scored 10 (1+9) points in 11 games, with a plus-4 differential. Nesterov also recorded five hits, blocked six shots, and earned to powerplays for his team. The latest time a Red Army defenseman was awarded Best defenseman honor was 2014 November (Georgy Misharin).

— Best forward for the first time in his career was Stanislav Galiyev (Dynamo Moscow), who scored 15 (7+8) points in nine games. Galiyev posted two doubles and two game-winning goals, blocked four shots, and earned five powerplays for his team.

— Best rookie for the first time in his career was forward Arseny Gritsyuk (Avangard), who scored 6 (5+1) points in eight games, with a plus-2 differential. Gritsyuk had a double, recorded one hit, blocked four shots, and earned two powerplays for his team.