Murphy returns to production, Anas keeps on scoring. Top imports
Brooks Macek scored his fist KHL hat-trick, while Brennan Menell keep on being a key player on the Dynamo Moscow’s blue line. KHL.ru presents the best players from each country.
Canada
D, Sibir, 2 G, 4 (2+2) points, +2
The Canadian defenseman has been excellent on the blue line for Sibir last week, having scored in both games – he was instrumental in particular in Novosibirsk’s win over Admiral on Wednesday, when he potted a double, including the game-winner, and had a helper logging more than twenty minutes. Two days later, Murphy added another assist in Sibir’s losing effort against Salavat Yulaev. However, that night the Novosibirsk side got the game to OT and earned a precious point in the standings. Sibir is currently the eighth seed in the East, and Murphy was awarded the Best defenseman honors last week.
Germany
F, Avtomobilist, 3 G, 7 (5+2) points, +4
At his fifth season in Yekaterinburg, Macek was excellent again for the Motormen last week, scoring at a high pace, netting his first KHL hat-trick as Avtomobilist defeated HC Sochi on Friday (4:1). The Canadian-born forward has also posted a helper that night as it was his fourth four-point performance in the league as the Motormen completed a six-win run. Two days earlier, Macek had his 21st double in the KHL as Avtomobilist defeated Traktor 4:3 on home ice. On Sunday, Avtomobilist lost to Ak Bars in Kazan, but Macek had an assist in the Motormen’s lone goal of the match, scored by captain Sergei Shirokov. After a rocky period, Avtomobilist has returned to the top four in the East, and Macek’s goals had a huge impact on the team’s success.
United States/Russia
D, Dynamo Moscow, 2 G, 3 (1+2) points, +2
The Minnesota native had another striking week with Dynamo Moscow, albeit the team only had two games. The Blue-and-Whites achieved two victories, against HC Sochi and Spartak, respectively, and Menell had points in both games. First, the blueliner had a goal and an assist when Dynamo thumped HC Sochi with a sound 7:1 victory at home. Then, in the Moscow derby against Spartak, the Dynamo defenseman contributed an assist on Eric O’Dell opening goal, with the Blue-and-Whites getting the win in OT (3:2). Menell is currently leading Dynamo for scoring from the blue line, with 33 (6+27) points in 47 games, and emerged as one of the Blue-and-Whites’ leading players.
United States
F, Dinamo Minsk, 2 G, 4 (1+3) points
The American forward, in his debut season in the league, has been instrumental for Dinamo Minsk so far, also last week, when he posted two points in both games to keep on his incredible scoring streak. This week, he repeated a club’s record, scoring points in ten straight games, a record that was held by forward Joe Pavelski in the 2012-2013 lockout season. Last week, Anas started with a two-point performance in Dinamo Minsk’s losing effort against Amur. He scored and had an assist for the Bisons to tie things up with fewer than 20 seconds to the final hooter, before the Tigers netted the game-winner in OT. Two days later, he had two assists as Dinamo Minsk achieved a key victory in Nizhny Novgorod as the team is getting closer and closer to reserve a playoff spot yet another time.
