Best players of October

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

- Best goalie for the first time in his career was Ivan Bocharov (Lokomotiv), who won four games of six last month. Bocharov faced 154 shots, or 25.7 per night, posting a saves percentage of 94.81% and a goals-against average of 1.42 (best figures among all the league’s goalies playing at least six games in October). Bocharov posted shutouts in the games against Torpedo and Dinamo Minsk.

- Best defenseman for the second time in his career was Alexander Nikishin (SKA), who scored 11 (2+9) points in 13 games. Only twice did Nikishin end a game with a negative rating, ending October with a plus-7 differential. The SKA blueliner also recorded 21 hits, 21 blocked shots, and one takeaway. He logged an average time on ice of 23 minutes.

- Best forward for the first time in his career was Brandon Yip (Kunlun Red Star), who scored 15 (8+7) points in 14 matches in October. Yip scored points in 13 out of 14 games, establishing a club record for the longest points and goals streak. He also recorded nine hits, blocked three shots, and had one takeaway. Moreover, Yip was the first Kunlun Red Star forward to be awarded best of month awards.

- Best rookie for the first time in his career was Yaroslav Likhachyov (Amur), who scored 6 (3+3) points in 11 games last month. He had 45 shots on goal, 13 hits, four blocked shots, and two takeaways. Likhachyov was Amur’s fourth player to be awarded rookie of the month awards, with the latest being Artyom Zub in 2015 October.