Best players of September

The Kontinental Hockey League’s commission has determined the best players of the Regular Season’s first month in four categories.

In September, the League’s teams played 108 games, with 603 players (47 goalies, 197 defensemen, and 359 forwards) taking part in the action. The scoring was at 5.05 goals per game.

- Best goalie for the second time in his career was Semyon Vyazovoi (Salavat Yulaev), who posted six wins in eight September games. The Ufa goalie faced 240 shots, or 30 per night, posting a saves percentage of 95% and a goals-against average of 1.52. Isayev posted shutouts in Salavat Yulaev’s wins against Avangard (4-0), Neftekhimik (2-0), and Torpedo (3-0).

- Best defenseman for the first time in his career was Jake Massie (Barys), who scored 8 (3+5) points in ten September games, with a plus-7 differential. The Barys defenseman potted the game-winning goal in Barys’ wins over Lada (6-0) and Lokomotiv (5-0). Massie also delivered seven hits, blocked 22 shots, made three pass interceptions and had three takeaways.

- Best forward for the first time in his career was Andrei Belozyorov (Neftekhimik), who scored 13 (4+9) points in eleven September games, with a plus-4 differential. The Nizhnekamsk forward netted the game-winning goal in Neftekhimik’s win over Admiral on September 27 (5:3). Belozyorov also delivered twelve hits, blocked five shots, made six pass interceptions, and had four takeaways.

- Best rookie for the second time in his career was 21-years-old forward Yegor Solovyov (Shanghai Dragons), who scored 7 (2+5) points in eight September games, with a plus-3 differential. The Dragons’ forward netted the game-winning goal in the win over Dinamo Minsk on September 26 (2-1). Solovyov also delivered six hits, blocked one shot, made one pass interception, and had one takeaway.