Youngster report – fourth week
KHL.ru continues to follow U23 players’ performances throughout the league. These are the best for the fourth week of action.
Matvei Michkov
F, HC Sochi, 2004
Week stats: 2 G, 5 (2+3) points, +4
Matvei Michkov had a tremendous week last time around, not only for being very productive, but also considering how he achieved that. First, he had a fantastic performance in Sochi’s 5:2 road win against Torpedo, potting the game-winner in the third stanza converting a rebound following a blueline shot by Roman Manukhov. Earlier in the game, he also assisted Kirill Rasskazov’s second tally of the season. Michkov’s performance was a bit overshadowed by Borna Rendulic’s treble, yet he was easily one of the best players on the ice on Saturday. However, that wasn’t Michkov’s top performance last week. Two days later, in a home game against his former team – SKA St. Petersburg – the young forward scored the first goal for Sochi just four minutes in, then he assisted Amir Garayev twice as he potted a double, with their linemate Artur Tyanulin posting a hat-trick of assists. HC Sochi is currently one of the funniest teams in the league, and Michkov is a huge part of it.
Yaroslav Likhachyov
F, Lokomotiv, 2001
Week stats: 3 G, 3 (1+2) points, +3
Likhachyov has finally found his groove with the Railwaymen, being a productive player for the team which is currently leading the Western Conference standings. That’s quite a feat for a young player, even if Likhachyov has already earned plenty of experience last year during his loan spell to Amur. In the week, the Yaroslavl native had a pair of assists in Loko’s win over Spartak (4:2) on Monday, when he also posted a plus-2 differential. Two days later, when the Railwaymen faced Dynamo Moscow, Likhachyov opened the score in the first period when he took fool advantage of a turnover in the offensive zone to sent it past Konstantin Volkov with a smooth backhander for his sixth of the season. Lokomotiv is currently leading the Western Conference, and Likhachyov’s production is a big part of the team’s success.
Vitaly Pinchuk
F, Dinamo Minsk, 2002
Week stats: 3 G, 2 (2+0) points, even
Pinchuk had a tremendous start of the season, being at one point on the top of the KHL scoring race. His production cooled off a bit later, with just one point in five games, but he has scored in two consecutive games as the Belarusians returned to victory first against Barys, then in an awaited game against SKA, where they were down 0:2 following the opening frame. Midway through the game, Pinchuk got the puck in the defensive zone and burned through the ice to defeat goalie Artemy Pleshkov with a low shot on the far post to make it a 2:2 game before his teammates completed the rally. Pinchuk also scored a goal in Dinamo Minsk’s 3:0 home win over Barys on Monday. Pinchuk’s progress has been evident throughout this first part of the season, and he is primed to play even a more prominent role as the 2023-2024 campaign goes by.
Amir Garayev
F, HC Sochi, 2001
Week stats: 3 G, 3 (2+1) points, +3
Playing with Michkov, Garayev was also instrumental in Sochi’s success last week as the forward – who will cross later this season the 200-game mark despite his young age – potted a double against SKA and helped the team defeating Torpedo with an assist. Garayev is a creative player who created good chemistry with his linemates – Michkov and Artur Tyanulin – and this offensive prowess is doing wonders for the Sochi team, who is currently the third seed in the Western Conference, something that the Black Sea franchise’s fans have rarely saw in the club’s history. It’s worth noting that both Garayev’s goals against SKA were assisted by Michkov – the duo is getting stronger and stronger as the season progresses.
Vladimir Alistrov
F, SKA, 2001
Week stats: 2 G, 2 (1+1) points, even
The Belarusian forward is looking like one of the best summer acquisitions by SKA, if not the best overall – Alistrov leads SKA with 11 (4+7) points in 13 games, outscoring players like Alex Galchenyuk, Alexander Nikishin, and Sergei Tolchinsky. This alone speaks aloud about Alistrov’s season, but if digging deeper, there are even more reasons to praise him. The forward plays on a line with Galchenyuk and Mikhail Vorobyov or Vasily Glotov, and is currently the second-most iced SKA forward following Tolchinsky. Alistrov’s SKA lost both games this week, but the forward could get into the scoresheet both times, with a goal and an assist. SKA’s climbing up in the standings, and Alistrov is currently leading the team.
