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Rybar helps Spartak’s leadership; Klok returns to past production. Top imports
Rybar rises the bar, Klok helps Neftekhimik climbing up in the standings, and Borna Rendulic scores for two different teams. KHL.ru presents the best players from each country.
Slovakia
G, Spartak, 3 G, 3 W, 93.10%, 2.00 GAA
The Slovak netminder has been instrumental for Spartak’s success last week, winning three straight games and emerging as the team’s undisputable starter and stopping 25+ shots in all matches. Rybar started the week with 28 saves in Spartak’s win over Vityaz. Then, the Slovak went on with 25 saves as the Red-and-Whites defeated CSKA on Wednesday in the Moscow Derby. The team on a hot streak moved to Nizhny Novgorod, and it achieved yet another victory, this time over Torpedo, 4:2, with Rybar recording 28 saves out of 30 shots. Rybar has been excellent between the piping this week as Spartak keep on riding high in the Western Conference’s standings.
Czech Republic
D, Neftekhimik, 3 G, 4 (1+3) points, +1
Back in the KHL after a year split between North America, Sweden, and Switzerland, Klok had a tremendous week with Neftekhimik, boosting his production to his usual levels after a slow start of the season with the Wolves. Last week, the Czech defenseman helped Neftekhimik achieving two wins in three games, with the third game lost by only one goal against HC Sochi (2:3). Before the loss to the Black Sea franchise, Klok and Neftekhimik blanked Vityaz (3:0) on home soil, with the blueliner netting a goal and adding an assist. On Saturday, Klok posted another multipoint performance when the Wolves had the best over Kunlun Red Star with a 4:3, OT win – the Czech assisted Vladimir Bryukvin for the game-tying tally in the third period and the OT winner by Bulat Shafigullin. Neftekhimik is now recovering after a rocky start, and a playoffs qualification doesn’t look like an impossible mission anymore.
Croatia
F, SKA, 3 G, 3 (2+1) points, +2
Rendulic started the week still as a HC Sochi member, posting no points as the Black Sea franchise lost to CSKA on Monday (2:3 OT). He was then moved to SKA in exchange for Marat Khusnutdinov. He started scoring right away, netting his first tally wearing the SKA jersey in the St. Petersburg side’s loss to Lokomotiv on Wednesday. Two days later, the large-framed forward had his first multipoint game as a SKA member when he helped his team defeating Dinamo Minsk at home (3:2) – he scored his team’s first goal in the opening frame, then assisted Artyom Sergeyev’s game-winner. Rendulic has added power and dynamics to SKA’s offensive option, and the move has paid out for now.
United States
F, Avangard, 3 G, 4 (3+1) points, +2
The Michigan native had an excellent week with the Hawks, netting tallies in all games and helping his team to reach three straight wins, as they downed big guns like Magnitka, Dynamo Moscow, and Lokomotiv – all on home soil. Just as one can expect, Avangard’s one-two punch of Vladimir Tkachyov and Reid Boucher was instrumental for the Hawks’ success as the American forward netted three powerplay tallies, including the game-winner in Avangard’s 4:1 win over Lokomotiv on Saturday. That night, Boucher also assisted Tkachyov’s goal in the closing frame. The forward is currently fourth in the snipers’ race with ten goals, trailing Vasily Atanasov, Borna Rendulic, and Nikolai Goldobin.
Canada/Germany
F, Avtomobilist, 3 G, 5 (3+2) points, even
Macek and the Motormen had another strong week, winning two games from three as the German international had points in all games, starting from Avtomobilist’s loss to Salavat Yulaev on Tuesday – he had Avto’s lone goal. However, on Friday, the Motormen returned to victory as they defeated Traktor 2:1 – Macek recorded an assist this time – and then celebrating an OT win over Vityaz on Sunday. The Winnipeg native potted a double against the Moscow Region team, including the OT game winner, when he deflected past Maxim Dorozhko a smooth pass by d-man Alexander Sevostyanov. Avtomobilist is currently the third seed in the Eastern Conference, and Brooks Macek is one of its leaders.
