Atlant Mytischi News

The KHL named the players of the month. They are: goalie Vitaly Eremeev, defenceman Dmitri Bykov, forward Sergei Mozyakin.

KHL goalie of December: Vitaly Eremeev, Dynamo Moscow. Eremeev recorded 3 shutouts in 6 games, having 1.33 GAA and 95.5 saving percent.

KHL defenceman of December: Dmitri Bykov, Atlant Mytischi. Bykov scored 2 goals and 4 assists in 9 games, having a plus-9 record.

KHL forward of December: Sergei Mozyakin, Atlant Mytischi. Mozyakin scored 5 goals and 9 assists in 9 games, having a plus-7 record.

More than half of a season has passed in the KHL and it is time to tally up an interim total.

Below are Top 5 lists of goal scorers, assists, points and plus/minus leaders. Among the highlights are Marcel Hossa of Dinamo Riga topping the scorers rating, Maxim Spiridonov proving his worth after a few bad seasons with 20 goals in 40 games, SKA linemates Maxim Sushinskiy and Alexei Yashin being assists leaders and Sergei Fedorov being the 3rd in plus/minus rating.

Swiss goalie Martin Gerber, who was hospitalized yesterday with a neck injury, underwent advanced examination Monday morning. Fortunately it didn't confirm the preliminary diagnosis "compression fracture of the fourth cervical vertebra". According to the new information Gerber has spinal contusion and recovering will take weeks, not months.

"When Gerber was delivered to the Podolsk hospital he underwent examination that didn't show any fractures. Monday morning computed tomography confirmed there was no fracture but rather a spinal contusion," said Atlant's doctor Andrei Bagdasaryan to Sovetskiy Sport.

"According to the doctors, Gerber's recovering will take weeks and not months. Thus there is no need in searching for a new goalie. However, this is not 100% clear," said KHL Atlant's GM Andrei Verevko to Sovetskiy Sport.

According to the official Atlant website Gerber will be back in 2-3 weeks. It means he will be able to play for Switzerland at the Olympic Games in Vancouver.

Finally there is a video of the episode.

Swiss goalie Martin Gerber, who past summer left the Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL to play for Atlant Mytischi of the KHL, was hospitalized after suffering a serious neck injury in a game against Vityaz Chekhov on December 13.

According to Russian site lifesports.ru during the second period a Vityaz forward ran into Gerber. As a result Gerber ended up lying on the ice. After being tested by the team's doctors Gerber was put on a wheel stretcher and taken off the ice. He was sent to a Podolsk municipal hospital where he was diagnosed with a compression fracture of the third cervical vertebra.

"The injury is very serious, Martin can forget about hockey for the next 6 months," said one of the hospital's doctors, Igor Suvorov. "Thank God the spinal cord was not hurt and there is no threat to his life. Gerber will soon be sent to a special clinics in Podolsk to undergo computed tomography to ensure the spinal cord is not hurt."

Martin Gerber is expected to stay at the hospital for at least 2 months.

Update:
Russian newspaper Sovetskiy Sport talked with Atlant GM, Andrei Verevko:

"Gerber underwent computed tomography. The preliminary diagnosis is a compression fracture of the fourth cervical vertebra. Monday morning Gerber will have an advanced medical examination."

Update (Monday):
Martin Gerber's injury not so serious. He is expected to be back in 2-3 weeks. Video finally available

Through Atlant's official site, the team's General Manager Ravil Ishakov reported that the contract with Denis Bodrov is ceased with immediate effect. The parts mutually agreed to separate ways. Bodrov joined Atlant last season, after spending his whole career within Lada Togliatti. A couple of years ago he has been very near to a move overseas as the Philadelphia Flyers manifested much interest towards him, but he apparently refused offers from both the Flyers and Avangard Omsk to remain in his hometown club. Denis Bodrov was a second round draft pick on the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

In the 33 games he played with the Moscow Region team during 08-09 and 09-10 seasons, he scored two goals and five assists, with 30 PIMs. He also played four post-season clashes last year, with one assist in four games. So far no rumors have been spread about his career's continuation.