Dive into the most compelling highlights from October 17th in the KHL. Igor Nikitin reached a significant coaching milestone, while goaltenders Maxim Dorozhko and Spencer Martin both secured shutouts. Neftekhimik and Avtomobilist claimed thrilling overtime victories.
Igor Nikitin`s Milestone
CSKA head coach Igor Nikitin celebrated his 700th KHL game behind the bench in the match against Torpedo. His team marked the occasion with a victory, thanks to the lone goal scored by Dmitry Buchelnikov.
Nikitin is now the fifth head coach in KHL history to reach the 700-game mark, joining an elite group that includes Dmitry Kvartalnov, Vladimir Krikunov, Oleg Znarok, and Zinetula Bilyaletdinov. Throughout his KHL career, Nikitin has coached Avangard, Lokomotiv, and CSKA, leading both Lokomotiv and CSKA to Gagarin Cup triumphs.
Martin and Dorozhko Secure Shutouts
CSKA goaltender Spencer Martin shut out Torpedo, marking his second shutout of the current season. He successfully fended off all 32 shots on goal from Nizhny Novgorod.
Amur`s netminder Maxim Dorozhko also earned a shutout, stopping 29 shots against Lada. His teammates supported him with three goals, securing a convincing victory for Khabarovsk.
Zhamnov`s 100th Victory
Spartak continued their Far East road trip with an engaging and high-scoring game against Admiral. The regular time ended in a 3-3 tie, and Nathan Todd clinched the victory for the Red-Whites in the shootout. This win marked the 100th KHL victory for Spartak`s head coach, Alexei Zhamnov.
Overtime Thrillers in Minsk and Sochi
Neftekhimik visited Dinamo Minsk and consistently found themselves trailing throughout the game, forcing Nizhnekamsk to play catch-up. They successfully equalized three times, with the crucial third equalizer coming just 59 seconds before the final buzzer. Vladislav Barulin then secured the overtime win for the “Wolves.” German Tochilin was a standout player for Neftekhimik, scoring twice, including the game-tying goal in the final minute of regulation.
Sochi hosted Avtomobilist and also came back twice, both times quite swiftly, with William Bitten netting both goals for the Southern team. Furthermore, Bitten was close to completing a hat-trick and securing a win for his team in overtime, but it wasn`t to be: the Urals team scored on a counter-attack, claiming two points.
Milestone and Scoring Streaks
Dinamo Minsk forward Vadim Moroz played his 200th KHL game against Neftekhimik. Spartak forwards Adam Ruzicka and Nathan Todd extended their personal scoring streaks to four games, tallying 2 goals + 4 assists and 2 goals + 3 assists, respectively.