Pavel Dorofeyev started his KHL season today with Metallurg. I was afraid that he would start the season with VHL team but probably partly due to that great U20 tournament a week ago, Dorofeyev played today in Metallurg's third line on the left wing with number 27. I watched the game against SKA about 40 minutes and decided to share six GIFs with you guys.
Dorofeyev played only even strength and because both periods contained a lot of penalties, his ice time was very minimal. In the first period he played like three shifts and in the second period only five or something like that. However, he was still able to shine especially with his defending without a puck. Let's go to examples.
This is from his first shift from sixth minute. Dorofeyev recognizes very well when to narrow towards own goal from the weightless wing (sorry for my bad English) and makes good interception.
Dorofeyev is also the guy who finally ends SKA's cycle game by winning 1v1 battle next to the boards. After the interception he makes good pass infront and begins counter attack. In this GIF it was great to see that he is able to win puck battles against tough adults already in the age of 18 so that is a great sign when thinking about NHL in the future.
Second shift from eleventh minute. Dorofeyev smartly observes that his teammates are going to get the puck from the boards and then Dorofeyev again narrow towards players with puck and makes himself available on the center. Then comes the only negative thing during two periods I watched: Dorofeyev fails to get puck and then falls after losing the puck. But that is what happens sometimes also to good players.
Third shift of the period when there was already played 17 minutes. After the offensize zone face-off SKA gets the puck and tries to attack but Dorofeyev supports very well high forecheck and makes again interception to keep the pressure on the SKA's zone.
And in the same shift you can see here an example his cycle game in the men's game. First he gives great pass from the backhand near the boards and then moves to corner to get the pass back. There he is not afraid to receive tackle from Kemppainen. Okay, he falls to the ice but keeps the puck on his own team and cycle game is able to continue. That means that he uses his whole body very well to protect the puck even though his strentgh still needs improving but this shift was also great sign that Dorofeyev might be useful player in the future also in the NHL game in smaller rinks.
And finally last GIF from the second period. Again Dorofeyev recognizes when to narrow towards centre to make himself available after interception in the own end. And now Dorofeyev didn't lose the puck in neutral zone. Instead of losing the puck, he ends the 2v2 attack by leaving the puck to his teammate but SKA is in the end able to prevent other Metallurg's guy from shooting.
