Kucherov, Nikita

KHL
CSKA 1 @ Omsk 2
Nikita Kucherov, CSKA, 0-0-0, E, 0 PIM, 0 SOG
Season totals: 2 GP, 0-0-0, E, 2 PIM

Ex-Lightning netminder Karri Ramo made 22 saves in Omsk's 2-1 win over CSKA. Nikita Kucherov played 12:03 in the match for CSKA. They will face SKA St. Petersburg next on Saturday.

MHL
Ufa Jr. 4 @ Chelyabinsk Jr. 5
Nikita Nesterov, Chelyabinsk Jr., 0-1-1, +1, 0 PIM, 1 SOG
Season totals: 4 GP, 3-3-6, +8, 2 PIM

Nikita Nesterov assisted on an Igor Cherkasov goal in Chelyabinsk's 5-4 win over Ufa's junior team. Chelyabinsk's next match is Sunday to start a 2 game set against Novokuznetsk's junior team.

KHL
Cherepovets 3 @ Dynamo Moscow 1
Vasily Koshechkin, Cherepovets, Win, 26/27, 1.01 GAA, .963 sv%
Season totals: 1 GP, 1-0-0, 0 SO, 1.01 GAA, .963 sv%

Evgeny Ketov had 1 goal and 1 assist and Vasily Koshechkin made 26 saves in Cherepovets' 3-1 opening victory over Dynamo Moscow.

CSKA 3 @ Khanty-Mansiysk 2
Nikita Kucherov, CSKA, 0-0-0, E, 2 PIM, 1 SOG
Season totals 1 GP, 0-0-0, E, 2 PIM

Nikita Kucherov had 2 penalty minutes in 9:03 of ice time in CSKA's 3-2 opening victory over Yugra. Ex-Lightning camper Niklas Persson had a helper in the match for CSKA. CSKA faces Omsk on Wednesday, 9/14, for their next match.

MHL
Orenberg 4 @ Chelyabinsk 6
Nikita Nesterov, Chelyabinsk, 1-1-2, 0 PIM, +2
Season totals: 3 GP, 3-2-5, +7, 2 PIM

Nikita Nesterov is off to a hot start for Chelyabinsk's junior team in the MHL, with a power play goal today in their win over Orenberg. Chelyabinsk is 2-1 thus far this season. Their next match is on Wednesday, 9/14, against Ufa's junior team.

In light of the tragic crash of the plane carrying the Yaroslavl Lokomotiv club, the KHL has announced a revised schedule for the season. The opening of the season has been pushed back to 9/12, when Vasily Koshechkin and Cherepovets will face Dynamo Minsk and Nikita Kucherov and CSKA will face off against Khanty-Mansiysk. The date will also feature the emotional return of Yaroslavl to the ice against Dynamo Moscow. The league has yet to formally announce how the team's roster will be replaced, as decisions have been deferred until after the memorial service for the team.

BoltProspects would like to extend its deepest sympathies to the families and friends of all of the players and crew who lost their life in the crash. In particular, BoltProspects would like to send its sincerest condolences to former Lightning draft pick Ivan Rachunek, whose brother Karel, Yaroslavl's team captain, perished in the tragedy.

With the passing of August, the summer is on its decline, and hockey season is almost here in North America. But, in Europe, preseason games are already being played and the regular season is set to begin next week. On Thursday, slick scoring prospect Nikita Kucherov and CSKA will square off against perennial league power Magnitogorsk in their season opener in the Russian KHL. A week later, on 9/15, action starts in the Finnish SM-liiga where Riku Helenius and JYP will open against KalPa. That day also marks the start of the Swedish Elitserien where Johan Harju and Lulea will face Vaxjo.

Nikita Kucherov
Position: Right Wing
Shoots/Catches: Left
Height: 5.11
Weight: 165
Born: 06/17/1993
Age: 18
Hometown: Maikop, RUS
Acquired: Selected by Tampa Bay Lightning in Round 2 (#58) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft
Last Team: CSKA Moscow (KHL)
Projects As: Scoring liner
Rankings: CSS 17 (International skaters), TSN 56 (overall), THN 95 (overall), Red Line Report 90 (overall)

Stats:
CSKA Moscow (KHL): 8 GP, 0-2-2, 0 PIM, -3
Krasnaya Armiya (MHL): 41 GP, 27-31-58, 81 PIM
Russia (U18): 7 GP, 11-10-21 (Tournament record for points)