Sprong’s return, Da Costa’s production, and Lajoie’s strong play. Week 18 top imports
Daniel Sprong returns to the scoresheet with his new team, Sam Anas keeps on leading the league’s scoring. KHL.ru presents the best players from each country.
France
F, Avtomobilist, 3 G, 7 (4+3) points, +8
Avtomobilist veteran forward Stephane Da Costa enjoyed a standout week, collecting seven points with four goals and three assists over three games while posting an impressive plus-eight rating. He played a decisive role in Wednesday’s 4:1 victory over Traktor, scoring the game-winning goal, and complemented his offensive output for the week with three hits, one blocked shot, four pass interceptions, and two takeaways. For his efforts, Da Costa was awarded Best Forward honors for the fourth time in his career.
Netherlands
F, Avtomobilist, 3 G, 4 (2+2) points, +3
Avtomobilist forward Daniel Sprong also made a strong impact over the past week, contributing four points with two goals and two assists across three games as Yekaterinburg collected three straight home wins. Sprong was at his best in Saturday’s 6:2 victory over Salavat Yulaev, scoring twice, and followed it up with a two-assist performance in Wednesday’s 4:1 win against Traktor. He logged heavy minutes throughout the week, finishing the stretch with a plus-three rating, also delivering a pair of hits in the game against the Black-and-Whites.
Canada
D, Avangard, 3 G, 3 (1+2) points, +1
Avangard defenseman Maxime Lajoie delivered a productive week from the blue line, recording points in all three games as Omsk continued its push up the standings. He opened the stretch with a goal in a 3:4 loss to Salavat Yulaev, added an assist while logging over 23 minutes in a narrow 2:1 win against CSKA Moscow, and capped the week by scoring in Sunday’s 5:2 road victory over Traktor. Lajoie also contributed physically, and had seven shots on goal over the three-game span. The Hawks will need more of Lajoie’s strong 200-foot game as the Hawks will try to surpass Ak Bars in the Eastern Conference’s standings, now sitting in third place.
US
F, Dinamo Minsk, 2 G, 4 (0+4) points, +2
Dinamo Minsk forward Sam Anas continued his excellent run of form, extending his scoring streak to eleven games while once again driving his team’s offense. The American forward picked up four assists over two road games, setting up the game-winning goal in a 3:2 victory over Dynamo Moscow before delivering a three-assist performance despite a 4:6 losing effort to Severstal. Anas, who keeps on leading the KHL’s scoring race, logged heavy minutes in both outings and remained a constant creative presence, further underlining his importance to Dinamo’s attack.
