Maxim Arefyev

MHL: Sakhalinskiye Akuly vs HK Riga, February 12, 2022: Arefyev was solid in his last outing against HK Riga, picking up the 5-1 win and stopping 34 of 35 shots. The big Russian moves very fast and efficient around his crease, with his skating being one of his best abilities. He likes to drop into his butterfly, especially on his posts in the RVH and sliding on cross ice passes. He was beaten in the first period on one of these cross seam plays that he did not have much of a chance on, but still almost got a piece of because of how hard he can push post to post. He plays with a wide stance and has outstanding coverage with his flare in his butterfly. This does cause his hips to sink when he goes down though, as he presents himself smaller to the puck than a 6’4” goalie should. Arefyev was a very calming presence throughout the game for his team and definitely earned a great win in this contest. Grade: A

Logo Courtesy of Sakhalinskiye Akuly