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Avtomobilist, Spartak get top performance from top players. Top imports
Patrik Rybar and Brooks Macek had a phenomenal start of the season, while Robin Press and Libor Sulak confirmed their status as top blueliners. Kunlun Red Star’s new players started their adaptation to the league, and Nick Ebert returned to the KHL on a positive note. KHL.ru presents the best players from each country.
Slovakia
G, Spartak
2 G, 2W, 96.72%, GAA 1.00, 1 SO
Rybar is at his second year in the KHL – he lined up for Dinamo Minsk last term and was nothing short than exceptional at the 2022 Olympic Games for Slovakia. The netminder had phenomenal start of the season, with two wins in his first two games. First, Spartak had the best of Amur in their home opener, with a 3:2 victory and Rybar stopping 28 out of 30 shots. Then, on Sunday, the Slovak posted his first shutout of the season – and the second in his KHL career – stopping 31 shots as Spartak defeated Sibir 1:0 with a goal by Dmitry Kugryshev. For his efforts, Rybar was honored best goalie honors for the first regular-season week.
Germany/Canada
F, Avtomobilist
2 G, 4 (2+2) points, +2
At his fourth season in Yekaterinburg, the Canadian forward with a German passport always posted excellent numbers, with the exception perhaps of his second year, and started the 2022-2023 campaign with two striking, multi-game performance as Avtomobilist won both contests. First, Macek posted two points in the Motormen’s home opener against Lokomotiv (4:2). Then, on Sunday, Avtomobilist defeated Severstal, and Macek found the back of the net with less than three minutes to go in the third period to give Avtomobilist its second straight victory. Earlier, the forward had an assist when Curtis Valk opened the score in the opening frame. If Avtomobilist wants to reach the playoffs this season, Macek must keep on producing like this.
Sweden
D, Severstal
2 G, 3 (1+2) points, even
The Swedish blueliner had an excellent debut season in the KHL last term, and he’s started his second year in the league just as good. He first helped Severstal defeating Traktor in Chelyabinsk on Friday, netting a powerplay goal in the middle stanza and assisting on Daniil Vovchenko’s tally late in the third period. In the second game of the week, Severstal did lost to Avtomobilist, but Press had another assist – again on a Pilipenko’s goal.
United States
D, Avtomobilist
2 G, 3 (0+3) assists, even
Not just Macek played well for Avtomobilist – on the blueline, he had valuable support from American Nick Ebert. The New Jersey native is at his second stint in the KHL after representing Slovan Bratislava in 2017-2018. After playing in Sweden in the latest two seasons, he signed with Avtomobilist and started having an impact right away. First, he had an assist in Avto’s victory over Lokomotiv, then had another two against Severstal – including helping Macek tallying the game-winner late in the third period. The Motormen are currently leading the Eastern Conference – its imports must keep on playing well to have the team continuing this way.
Canada
D, Kunlun Red Star
2 G, 3 (1+2) points, even
The Canadian blueliner is at his first season in the league and had an incredible debut game – posting one goal and two assists as the Dragons downed Admiral in their home opener (3:1). Wood, who lined up for Kladno in Czechia last year, tallied the game winner in the middle stanza against Vladivostok, and assisted on the team’s both other goals for an incredible three-point debut on Friday. Two days later, however, Kunlun failed to score against Amur, getting the season’s first loss, but Wood led the Dragons defensemen in time on ice with more than 22 minutes. The season is still young, and both Kunlun and Wood have plenty of time to improve their numbers.
Czechia
D, Admiral
2 G, 2 (1+1) points, +1
Last year, Sulak led Admiral in scoring, and it looks like things may go this way this season as well. The Czech blueliner was held scoreless in Admiral’s first of the season, loss to Kunlun Red Star, but then he had a goal and an assist (and a plus-1 rating) when the Sailors posted a 4:1 raiding of Sochi. Sulak, 28, is the undisputed leader on the Admiral’s blueline, and also was again appointed as the Vladivostok side’s captain. His coach Leonids Tambijevs will need Sulak to keep on performing to keep playoffs hopes alive.
