Nikolai Zherdev left the NHL after playing for the Philadelphia Flyers last season, returning to Atlant of the Kontinental Hockey League where he has 35 points in 47 games.
He had a penalty shot goal in a game against Yugra on Sunday, and no one can argue he didn't earn it — it's the least the ref could do after defenseman Tomas Starosta slashed Zherdev's crotch.
Later in the period, apparently having endeared himself to his opponents, Zherdev was hooked by Alexei Pepelyaev … who promptly dropped an elbow on him.
Pepelyaev was given two minutes for hooking. Yurga won the game, 2-1, in a shootout. Zherdev survived, playing 23:25.