European Leagues

KHL (Russia):
Cherepovets 1 @ Chelyabinsk 4
Nikita Nesterov, Chelyabinsk, 0-0-0, +3, 2 PIM, 1 SOG
Season totals (KHL): 5 GP, 0-0-0, +9, 4 PIM
Season totals (MHL): 23 GP, 6-9-15, +12, 20 PIM

Vasily Koshechkin, Cherepovets, Loss, 22/25, 3.10 GAA, .880 sv%
Season totals: 19 GP, 9-8-0, 1 SO, 2.76 GAA, .914 sv%

Give it another month, and Nikita Nesterov might lead the whole league in +/-. The young blueliner was +3 with a minor for interference in Chelyabinsk's 4-1 smackdown of Vasily Koshechkin and Cherepovets. The blueliner's +9 KHL mark is quickly catching up to his solid +12 mark so far this year in junior play in the MHL. Cherepovets draws Dynamo Minsk on Sunday. Chelyabinsk gets Ekaterinburg on Tuesday.

Elsewhere, Nikita Kucherov did not appear for CSKA in their 3-2 shootout loss to Novgorod. However, his junior linemate Nikita Gusev was called up for the game. No word yet on a potential injury/illness.

SM-liiga (Finland):
KalPa 2 @ JYP 1
Riku Helenius, JYP, DNP
Season totals: 12 GP, 7-5-0, 5 SO, 1.42 GAA, .937

Maybe I'm old fashioned, but if you had a goaltender who has had a shutout in 42% of his starts through 12 starts, wouldn't you put him in net more? In any event, Riku Helenius sat backup today to Joni Mullykoski in JYP's 2-1 loss to KalPa. JYP draws Tappara on Friday.

MHL (Russia Jr.):
CSKA Jr. 3 @ Togliatti Jr. 2
Nikita Kucherov, CSKA Jr., DNP
Season totals (MHL): 14 GP, 13-15-28, +8, 28 PIM
Season totals (KHL): 10 GP, 0-1-1, -1, 2 PIM

Where in the world is Nikita Kucherov? The talented forward has yet to appear since the end of the Subway Super Series in Canada. He was not in the lineup again today as CSKA Jr. beat Togliatti Jr. 3-2. Kucherov's linemate for both CSKA Jr. and the Super Series had 1-1-2 in the win. CSKA's big club plays tomorrow. Will Kucherov surface there?

Elitserien (Sweden):
Timra 2 @ Lulea 1 (SO)
Johan Harju, Lulea, 0-0-0, E, 0 PIM, 2 SOG
Season totals: 25 GP, 9-4-13, +4, 8 PIM

Johan Harju was scoreless and failed on his shootout attempt in Lulea's 2-1 loss to Timra. That is a bad loss for Lulea to the last place team on the Elitserien table. They'll try to rebound on Thursday against Skelleftea.

KHL (Russia):
Cherepovets 7 @ Astana 1
Vasily Koshechkin, Cherepovets, Win, 33/34, 1.00 GAA, .971 sv%
Season totals: 18 GP, 9-7-0, 1 SO, 2.75 GAA, .916 sv%

Vasily Koshechkin got off the pine and bathed in sweet, sweet goal support in Cherepovets' 7-1 bulldozing of Astana. Ex-Bruins prospect Mikko Lehtonen had a pair of goals in the victory. Cherepovets draws Chelyabinsk on Wednesday.

Spartak Moscow 1 @ Chelyabinsk 7
Nikita Nesterov, Chelyabinsk, 0-0-0, +2, 0 PIM, 0 SOG
Season totals (KHL): 4 GP, 0-0-0, +6, 2 PIM
Season totals (MHL): 23 GP, 6-9-15, +12, 20 PIM

Nikita Nesterov played a season high 15:48 as Chelyabinsk crushed Spartak Moscow 7-1. Ex-NHLers Stan Chistov and Deron Quint each had helpers in the win. Chelyabinsk squares off with Cherepovets on Wednesday.

KHL (Russia):
Chekhov 1 @ Chelyabinsk 5
Nikita Nesterov, Chelyabinsk, 0-0-0, +4, 0 PIM, 0 SOG
Season totals (KHL): 3 GP, 0-0-0, +4, 2 PIM
Season totals (MHL): 23 GP, 6-9-15, +12, 20 PIM

Nikita Nesterov was +4 in 12:19 of ice time in Chelyabinsk's 5-1 thumping of Chekhov. Ex-NHLer Stan Chistov had a helper in the victory for Chelyabinsk. They face Spartak Moscow on Monday.

Cherepovets 2 @ Ekaterinburg 3 (SO)
Vasily Koshechkin, Cherepovets, DNP
Season totals: 17 GP, 8-7-0, 1 SO, 2.86 GAA, .912 sv%

Vadim Tarasov again got the start for Cherepovets in their 3-2 shootout loss to Ekaterinburg. Cherepovets draws Astana on Monday.

SM-liiga (Finland):
JYP 1 @ Jokerit 0 (SO)
Riku Helenius, JYP, Win, 26/26, SO, 0.00 GAA, 1.000 sv%
Season totals: 12 GP, 7-5-0, 5 SO, 1.42 GAA, .937 sv%

12 starts, 5 shutouts. 42% of the time JYP has started Riku Helenius (pictured) this season, he's pitched an 0-fer. In today's shutout, Helenius ran the table with 26 saves in regulation and overtime before slamming the door on every single Jokerit attempt in the shootout. JYP's shootout goal by Antti Jaatinen ended up being the only time the goal light was turned on all night for either club. Helenius grabbed second star honors for his efforts, and JYP moves on to face KalPa on Tuesday. At what point does Helenius start playing his way back into the conversation as a legitimate NHL prospect for the Lightning? It would be the greatest Bolt Prospects story ever.

KHL (Russia):
From 11-24-11
Chelyabinsk 4 @ Dynamo Minsk 2
Nikita Nesterov, Chelyabinsk, 0-0-0, E, 2 PIM, 2 SOG
Season totals (KHL): 2 GP, 0-0-0, E, 2 PIM
Season totals (MHL): 23 GP, 6-9-15, +12, 20 PIM

Nikita Nesterov earned a post-Super Series callup to the KHL side and was scoreless in Chelyabinsk's 4-2 win over Minsk. He played 8:09 in the match and took a minor for high sticking in the first period. The d-man had played very limited minutes in one other KHL game earlier this year. Chelyabinsk's big club plays Chekhov next on Saturday.

MHL (Russia Jr.):
Astana Jr. 3 @ CSKA Jr. 2
Nikita Kucherov, CSKA Jr., DNP
Season totals (MHL): 14 GP, 13-15-28, +8, 28 PIM
Season totals (KHL): 10 GP, 0-1-1, -1, 2 PIM

Despite 2 late goals, CSKA Jr. fell short 3-2 to Astana Jr. Nikita Kucherov did not dress for CSKA Jr. They will rematch on Saturday.

Elitserien (Sweden):
Lulea 3 @ HV 71 1
Johan Harju, Lulea, 0-0-0, +1, 0 PIM, 3 SOG
Season totals: 24 GP, 9-4-13, +4, 8 PIM

Lulea starter Johan Gustavsson stopped 21 of 22 shots he faces to lead his club to a 3-1 win over HV 71. Lulea faces Timra on Tuesday. They're currently 4th on the Elitserien table.