Fuel Insider: Crowning A Champion

FUEL INSIDER PRESENTED BY IVY TECH

Former Indy Fuel defenseman Kirill Gotovets was crowned a champion on Wednesday, helping Avangard Omsk to the Kontinental Hockey League’s (KHL) Gagarin Cup. The 29-year-old defenseman skated in 45 games for Avangard this season tallying one goal, one assist. Playing in 22 playoff games, Gotovets tied for the team lead in goals among defensemen with three tallies. 

Gotovets started his professional career with the Indy Fuel in 2014-15 after spending four years at Cornell University. While donning the Fuel sweater, Gotovets compiled seven goals, six assists and 35 penalty minutes in 47 games. The native of Minsk, Belarus played 62 games for the Rockford IceHogs in 2015-16 before heading overseas to join the KHL’s Dinamo Minsk in 2016-17.

A seventh-round selection by Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft (183rd overall), Gotovets has played in 174 KHL games registering three goals and 17 assists. After scoring only two goals in 171 games, Gotovets scored two goals in the Gagarin Cup Playoffs to help lift Avangard to the finals where they would win their first championship as a franchise.