Records, streaks and more playoff qualifiers

One Canadian set a new KHL scoring record, another is on a 12-game hot streak. Elsewhere, table-topping Metallurg had a rough week, four more teams confirmed their playoff spots and three KHLers impressed on Slovakia’s Olympic roster.

Beck’s seven-point record

Sibir hit 10 goals past Sochi and Taylor Beck set a new KHL record. He had 7 (2+5) points as the home team produced a dazzling turnaround. That’s the highest-scoring individual performance in one game in the KHL era. Previously, there had been 10 instances of players scoring six in a game, starting with Albert Leshchyov for Atlant in the inaugural season. Oddly, at the end of the first period in Novosibirsk, Sochi was up 1-0 but fell to a 1-10 loss.

Playoff picture taking shape

Last week saw four more teams confirm their playoff places. In the East, Ak Bars joined Avangard and Metallurg without taking the ice after ninth-placed Amur blew a 4-1 lead to lose 5-6 at home to Traktor on Wednesday. The previous day, Lokomotiv became the first Western Conference team to qualify thanks to a 2-0 win at Shanghai Dragons. On Sunday, Severstal and Dinamo Minsk joined the defending champion, meaning six of the 16 post seasons spots are now full. At the other end of the table, Lada’s loss on Saturday eliminates the Motormen from playoff contention.

Metallurg stung by Kuznetsov

Evgeny Kuznetsov’s time at Metallurg didn’t go so well. But when he came up against his former club in Salavat Yulaev’s colors, the creative forward had a much better day. The league leader fell to defeat in Ufa, and Kuznetsov assisted two goals for Devin Brosseau in a 3-3 tie. Sheldon Rempal got the shoot-out winner for the home team.

Avto stuns league leader

Metallurg didn’t just have problems with its former forward this week. On Sunday, Andrei Razin’s table-toppers headed to Avtomobilist – and suffered a shock 8-1 loss. Moreover, this was against a Yekaterinburg team missing key forwards Reid Boucher (personal reasons) and Stephane da Costa (Olympics). Daniel Sprong potted a hat-trick, moving to 20 goals for the season. The Dutchman has 13 (8+5) points from 11 games for Avtomobilist, having previously delivered 31 points in 29 games for CSKA.

Red hot Poturalski

Avangard’s Andrew Poturalski is finishing the regular season in fine style. His current productive streak is up to 12 games, and he has 19 (5+14) points in that time. His latest outing on Sunday brought two assists in a 6-2 win at home to Traktor as the Hawks continue to chase Metallurg at the top of the Eastern Conference. Ak Bars is the next team due to contend with Poturalski’s form; the Tatars head to Omsk on Tuesday.

KHL at the Olympics

Slovakia’s KHLers are enjoying a successful Olympic campaign as the group stage comes to an end in Milan. The Slovaks finished top of their group, earning direct passage to the quarter finals as they look to add to the country’s first ever Olympic medal from Beijing in 2022. Lokomotiv defenseman Martin Gernat has 4 (1+3) points from three games and is third in scoring for his national team. Adam Ruzicka (Spartak) has 2+1, while Severstal’s Adam Liska has two assists.

France is the only other team with KHL representation at the Games. Avtomobilist’s Stephane da Costa has one assist from three games, but Les Bleus have lost their three group games to Switzerland (0-4), Czechia (3-6) and Canada (2-10) and face a qualification round test on Tuesday.

Ho-Sang leaves Ufa

Josh Ho-Sang’s second spell as a Salavat Yulaev player came to an early end, with the Canadian forward not playing a single game for the team. The Canadian rejoined the club on Dec. 30 but did not feature. In 2022/2023, Ho-Sang suffered an injury on his Salavat Yulaev debut and did not return until the playoffs, when he made four appearances.