Goalies on the rise. Week 11 top imports
Adam Scheel keeps Barys competitive for a playoff spot in the West, Patrik Rybar does the same for the Shanghai Dragons, and Robin Press maintains his consistency. KHL.ru presents the best players from each country.
Slovakia
G, Shanghai Dragons, 3 G, 2 W, 95.73%, 1.60 GAA, 1 SO
The Slovak netminder claimed the Best Goalie honor for the fourth time in his career after another impressive week between the pipes. He backstopped the Dragons to two wins in three outings, standing tall under a heavy workload. Over the week, Rybar faced close to 120 shots — nearly forty per game — yet still maintained an outstanding 95.73% save percentage and a 1.60 goals-against average. His performance peaked on Monday, when he shut the door on Sibir for his second shutout of the season in a tight 1:0 victory.
Sweden
D, Metallurg, 3 G, 4 (1+3) points, +2
Somewhat surprisingly, it was just the first time that the Swede earned Best Defenseman honors in his career. Press grabbed the award after a well-rounded and highly productive week. The Magnitogorsk blueliner collected four points over three games — scoring once and setting up three more — while finishing the seven-day stretch with a solid plus-2 rating. Press also contributed in the own third, delivering a pair of hits and stepping in front of seven shots as he continued to anchor Metallurg’s back end as the team leads the league.
US
G, Barys, 3 G, 2 W, 94.44%, 1.68 GAA
Barys’ goalie had a strong week, helping the team winning two straight games, one at home and one on the road. On Monday, he posted an impressive 33 saves as Barys celebrated a 2:1 win in extra time. Scheel then had another excellent showing when he came from the bench in a 2:1 home victory over Salavat Yulaev. The American netminder, a native of Ohio, stopped all the 22 shots he faced in more than 56 minutes against the Ufa team. On Sunday, his 13 saves weren’t enough as Barys fell to Avangard on home ice (2:5). However, the goalie’s strong performance is one of the main reasons why the Kazakhs this season are likely to fight for a playoff place until the end of the season.
Canada
F, Shanghai Dragons, 3 G, 4 (3+1) points, even
After an off year when he moved to Avtomobilist last season, Nick Merkley returned to his past production with the Shanghai Dragons, where he is enjoying time on ice and a prominent role in the Chinese franchise’s forward lines. The Calgary, Alberta, native posted two straight two-point performances, posting a goal and an assist in the Dragons’ win over Sibir on Monday (3:0), and potting a double when the team celebrated a strong-willed win in Yaroslavl on Wednesday (4:3). He was left out of the scoresheet in the Dragons’ loss to Ak Bars on Sunday (2:3 SO). With the Dragons fighting for a playoff spot in the Western Conference, Merkley’s performance and production will be key for the team as the season unfolds.
