This article recaps the most significant events from a recent day of Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) action, highlighting standout individual performances and thrilling team triumphs.
Dual Hat-Tricks Make KHL History
Nikolai Kovalenko and Dmitry Buchelnikov each netted three goals against Lada, marking only the fifth time in KHL history that two players from the same team achieved hat-tricks in a single game. This rare feat has been accomplished before by:
- Niklas Persson and Maxim Yakutsenya for Neftekhimik (also against Lada) in November 2009.
- Igor Grigorenko and Alexander Radulov for CSKA Moscow against Slovan in February 2015.
- Danis Zaripov and Jan Kovar for Metallurg Magnitogorsk against Kunlun in March 2017.
- Nicklas Jensen and Peter Regin for Jokerit against Dinamo Riga in January 2020.
CSKA`s Resilient Comeback and Rout
It`s uncommon for a single match to combine both a powerful comeback and a significant goal difference, but CSKA managed exactly that. Early in the second period, the Army Men found themselves trailing 0-2 against Lada. However, fueled by the hat-tricks from Buchelnikov and Kovalenko, and a crucial goal from Ivan Drozdov, they not only secured a victory but delivered a crushing defeat. Daniel Sprong also played a pivotal role, recording four assists – three for Kovalenko and one for Buchelnikov.
Rybar`s Revenge Against Former Team
The standout performer in another key game was goaltender Patrik Rybar. Last season, deemed surplus by Spartak, Rybar was placed on waivers, a move that Kunlun (then often referred to as `Shanghai Dragons` or `Kunlun Red Star`) quickly utilized. Interestingly, after this transition, Kunlun faced Spartak twice, with Rybar remaining a backup in both encounters. His first start against his former team came in August at the Moscow Mayor`s Cup, where he backstopped the `Shanghai Dragons` to a 3-2 win. Yesterday, in his second appearance against Spartak, he delivered another nearly flawless performance, stopping 35 out of 36 shots.