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Haukeland gets first win, Bailey impresses with Barys
Norway’s Haukeland started gaining form with Traktor, while Bailey scored in bunches for Barys as the Kazakhs are one of the surprises of the season. KHL.ru presents the best players from each country.
US
F, Barys, 3 G, 3 (3+0) points, +3
US forward Justin Bailey continued his outstanding start to the season with three goals in three games for Barys. He opened the week with two goals in a commanding 6–0 victory over Lada, then was held scoreless in a 0–3 loss to Metallurg. Bailey bounced back against defending champions Lokomotiv, scoring once in a sensational 5–0 road win in Yaroslavl. He finished the week with three goals, a plus-3 rating, and 14 shots on goal, averaging 19:34 of ice time. With this kind of production, Barys can claim to have found a leader.
Canada
D, Dinamo Minsk, 3 G, 3 (0+3) points, +1
Canada’s Ty Smith played a key role in Dinamo Minsk’s two wins during the week, recording three assists in three games. He opened the week with a helper against Lada, then added another in a 4–1 victory over Sibir. Smith completed the week with one more assist in a 5–3 win over Avtomobilist, helping Dinamo secure back-to-back victories. He also averaged 19:52 of ice time and registered six shots on goal – five against Sibir. His consistent contribution from the blue line has made him an important part of Dinamo’s strong turnaround.
Norway
G, Traktor, 2 G, 1 W, 94.7%, 2.02 GAA
Norwegian netminder Henrik Haukeland is starting to find his groove after a rocky opening to the season with Traktor. He made 30 saves on 32 shots in a 1-3 loss to Spartak, then followed that up with an outstanding performance against Avangard, stopping 21 of 22 shots in a 2–1 victory – his first win in the KHL. Haukeland finished the week with a .947 save percentage, playing almost 60 minutes in both games. His improved form between the pipes gives Traktor another important boost as the season progresses.
Slovakia
F, Avtomobilist, 2 G, 3 (0+3) points, -2
Slovakia’s Adam Ruzicka had a productive week for Avtomobilist, recording three points in two games, despite the Motormen loss both contests. First, Ruzicka picked up an assist in a narrow 2–3 OT loss to Avangard, then delivered a two-assist performance against Dinamo Minsk. Ruzicka also registered three shots in the game against the Belarusians and averaged 21:08 of ice time. His playmaking made him an important contributor for Avtomobilist despite the team coming away without a win from either game.
