The Capitals prospect got his first NHL goal in fitting fashion.
The Washington Capitals saw Ivan Miroshnichenko draw back into the lineup on Thursday, and he made an impact in a big way with his first NHL goal against the rival Pittsburgh Penguins.
Miroshnichenko got to the front of the net and picked up a broken feed from Dylan Strome before taking the puck to the crease and sliding it past Alex Nedeljkovic.
Here's the goal:
His goal also came when Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were on the ice, adding more significance to his first NHL marker.
The Russian was ecstatic as his team broke into an emotional celebration, and captain Alex Ovechkin also congratulated him on the bench with a face wash. Miroshnichenko idolized Ovechkin growing up and has been using his sticks in his first North American season.
Miroshnichenko is in the midst of his second call-up with the Capitals and drew into the lineup following Anthony Mantha's trade to the Vegas Golden Knights.
The 20-year-old signed his entry-level contract this past summer following his standout rookie campaign in the KHL, where he impressed with Avangard Omsk and made a triumphant return to game action after beating Hodgkin's Lymphoma.