KHL Players of the Week – October 22

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Each week, the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) salutes their Players of the Week.  The top forward, defenseman, goaltender, and rookie are selected based on their statistics and performance, as determined by the KHL Statistics and Information Bureau.

For Week 7 of the KHL Season, the league recognizes:

Forward

Igor Skorokhodov of Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk. Skorokhodov scored four goals in four games while averaging just over 10 minutes of ice time last week.  The 26-year-old  has nine goals – five on the powerplay – and two assists on the season. His nine goals have him tied for third in the league in goal scoring.

Check out his two goals against Spartak Moscow last week, flashing tricky shots and some soft hands.  He’s #23 in blue…

Defenseman

Anton Belov of Avangard Omsk. Belov scored three points – two goals and one assist – in three games last week to go along with a plus-minus rating of +4.   Belov leads all blue-liners in goals scored this season with seven. His thirteen points puts him third in points scored by defensemen.

Hopefully, he’ll continue his strong, positive play and avoid the type of behavior that got him in trouble last season.  He was suspended during the playoffs for using a ‘banned stimulant’ and somehow avoided suspension for the dangerous kick on Washington Capitals prospect Evgeni Kuznetsov, playing for Traktor Chelyabinsk.

Goaltender

Sergei Gaiduchenko of Sibir Novosibirsk. The 23-year-old won two out of three games last week, saving 94.9% of shots he faced and allowing an average of 1.64 goals per game.  So far this season, Gaiduchenko has split time between the pipes in Novosibirsk with Calgary native Jeff Glass. Through nine appearances this season he has a .940 save percentage and a 2.12 goals against average.

Rookie

Nikita Nesterov of Traktor Chelyabinsk. The 19-year-old defenseman posted a +3 rating while averaging just under 17 minutes of ice time in three games last week.  Despite his strong play, Nesterov has yet to score a point this season.  In 26 career KHL games, he has only one assist.   He’s still waiting for his first career goal.  Nesterov was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the fifth round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Images courtesy KHL.