GIF: Pavel Buchnevich nets his 8th of the season in the KHL
Pavel Buchnevich is up to his old tricks on Sunday as his Severstal side leads in the third period.
While the Rangers attempt to pull out of their slump in North America, we've been keying an eye on of their aces in the hole in Russia. Pavel Buchnevich, the 19-year-old super prospect some of you may have read about around these parts, began the KHL season on an absolute scoring tear, then cooled off a bit, but is now back on a hot streak. Buchnevich has—including his Sunday game—now tallied at least a point in four of his last five games after going scoreless for six straight.
And because his goal was so pretty today, we're going to show it to you.
We talk a lot about how lethal Buchnevich is in the offensive zone, and his highlight displays a little bit of a number of things he does well. This play starts with the point man firing the puck to goal, but it deflects off a defender. Buchnevich, however, who has his head up and is in good position, locates the loose puck, and beats his man there.
After he corrals the loose puck, he identifies how high the goal is in the crease, and goes wide to open up a shooting lane. He uses his strength (there's been knocks against Buchnevich about his size, but he clearly is capable of warding off defensemen in the KHL) to stay on his feet, and keep the puck on his stick.
Finally, he finishes off the play, calmly depositing the shot with a defender in his hip pocket, and another bearing down on him.
Buchnevich and Severstal currently lead Avtomobilist 2-1 in the third period.
