Ivan Demidov reflects on scoring his first KHL goal

Ivan Demidov is selected by the Montreal Canadiens with the fifth overall pick during the NHL Draft (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Montreal Canadiens prospect Ivan Demidov has scored his first goal in the KHL. The 18-year-old forward of SKA St. Petersburg scored his first goal on Sunday in a 4-3 overtime win against Lada. Demidov scored at 01:59 of the first period, playing on the rebound after hitting the post. Evgeny Kuznetsov, who played over 700 NHL games for the Washington Capitals and the Carolina Hurricanes, assisted his first goal.

"When I scored, I dropped a monkey off my shoulders," Demidov said in a one-on-one interview with RG after the game against HC Lada (4-3 OT). "I was upset after every game because I had so many scoring chances. I couldn’t score for a long time. Today, I managed to score on the first shift. I came out charged up. Thanks to everyone who gave me a chance. My girlfriend and mother were at the game. It was really nice that the whole stand jumped up when I scored. Great emotions.

"I think I’m almost fully adjusted to the KHL level," Demidov said. "I feel confident on the ice. I’m already making many plays, shooting the puck, creating scoring chances, dangling opponents. My teammates are encouraging me too."

"There were a lot of posts and crossbars on my shots," Demidov said during the press conference a few minutes earlier. "Maybe I needed to pee on my hands to gain some luck, but I managed to score without doing it."

It was Demidov's fifth game in the KHL. He has one goal and one assist now, playing mostly on the third line with Kuznetsov.

"Kuznetsov and I quickly found common ground," Demidov said. "We’re both funny guys, and we understand hockey. He has much more experience, so I need to be in the right place and try to feel him. We had many moments when we felt each other well tonight. If we continue like this, our chemistry can get much stronger. Kuznetsov likes to talk on and off the ice. He's always joking. But he can also be serious. If the game allows it, he’s fun. He can switch momentarily."

SKA head coach Roman Rotenberg was inspired: "This is a crucial historical event for us. Demidov has the potential to score in every game, and we will work on making it happen. He has to use every chance he has. Demidov and Kuznetsov play on the same line because they have solid skills and a similar hockey IQ. They have not displayed their best game yet, as Kuznetsov is still adjusting to our style of play to showcase his top-level hockey."

By:

Daria Tuboltseva

Hockey Reporter

Daria Tuboltseva has been reporting on hockey since 2016, covering some of the sport’s biggest stages, including the Olympics, the FIFA World Cup, the IIHF World Championships, and the KHL Gagarin Cup Finals. Over the past decade, her work has appeared in major outlets like Championat.com, Sport24, and the official websites of both the KHL and WHL. Along the way, she’s interviewed some of the game’s top stars, including Alex Ovechkin, Jaromir Jagr, Kirill Kaprizov, and Sergei Bobrovsky.

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