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Bailey keeps producing, Sulak shines, Sprong stays hot. Week 9 top imports
Bailey remained a bright spot for Barys despite a difficult week, Sulak helped Admiral secure two victories, Sprong extended his scoring streak, and Haukeland delivered a solid performance between the pipes for Traktor. KHL.ru presents the best players from each country.
Canada
F, Traktor, 3 G, 4 (3+1) points, +5
Canada’s Nathan Legare earned Forward of the Week honors after continuing his impressive scoring run with Traktor. The forward found the net in all three games, scoring once in a 2–1 win over Barys, adding a goal and an assist in a 5–3 victory against Ak Bars, and finishing the week with another goal in a 3–2 shootout loss to Avtomobilist. Legare finished with four points (3+1) and a plus-5 rating, extending his goal-scoring streak and establishing himself as an important offensive contributor for Traktor, who is trying hard to return to playoff places in the Eastern Conference.
US
F, Barys, 3 GP, 2 (1+1) points, -3
US forward Justin Bailey remained one of Barys’ main offensive threats despite a difficult week for the team. He assisted on the only goal in a 2–1 loss to Traktor, then scored in a thrilling 5–4 defeat against Admiral, briefly bringing Barys level at 4–4 with a third-period power-play goal. Bailey was held scoreless in the team's final game, a 2–0 loss to Amur, but had recorded points in three consecutive appearances before that game, including his assist against Shanghai Dragons on October 30. His ability to keep producing during a challenging road trip underlined his importance to Barys’ offense as the Kazakhs eye a return to playoff hockey.
Czechia
D, Admiral, 2 GP, 2 (0+2) points, +5
Czech defenseman Libor Sulak helped Admiral enjoy a perfect week, recording two assists in two victories. He was held off the scoresheet in a commanding 4–0 shutout win over SKA, but played a major role in the dramatic 5–4 victory against Barys. Sulak assisted on Danila Moiseyev’s goal that started Admiral’s comeback from a two-goal deficit, then set up Grigory Vashchenko’s decisive marker with just over two minutes remaining. He also registered six shots on goal across the two games and averaged more than 23 minutes of ice time. His contribution from the blue line was important as Admiral collected two valuable wins while he logged north of twenty-one minutes a night.
Netherlands
F, Avtomobilist, 2 GP, 2 (1+1) points, +1
Dutch forward Daniel Sprong continued his excellent form, recording points in both of Avtomobilist's games and extending his scoring streak to four matches. He scored the equalizer in a 3–2 overtime loss to Salavat Yulaev, then helped set up Alexander Kadeikin’s tying goal in another 3–2 game, this time a shootout victory over Traktor. Sprong finished the week with a goal and an assist, bringing his production over the four-game streak to five points (2+3). His consistent offensive contribution has made him an increasingly important part of the Motormen’s attack, helping the team remain competitive in a very tight Eastern Conference race.
Norway
G, Traktor, 1 GP, 27 saves, 93.1 SV%, 1.85 GAA
Norwegian goaltender Henrik Haukeland delivered a solid performance in Traktor’s Ural derby against Avtomobilist, stopping 27 of 29 shots. Although the game eventually ended in a 3–2 shootout defeat, Haukeland made several important saves to keep his team in contention and help the Black-and-Whites take the game beyond regulation. He finished with a 93.1% save percentage and a 1.85 goals-against average over 64:44 of playing time. Traktor has been looking to build consistency in a competitive Eastern Conference, and Haukeland’s ability to provide reliable goaltending remains an important factor in their push for a playoff spot.
