Alexander Nikishin made his NHL debut last night as the Carolina Hurricanes eliminated the Washington Capitals. While he didn’t record any points, his very first shift was against none other than Alexander Ovechkin—and he managed to pull off something that has NHL fans laughing.
Making your NHL debut is a huge moment, no matter when or against whom it happens. It’s something you’ll always remember. But debuting in a Stanley Cup elimination game against the greatest goal scorer of all time? That’s something else entirely. And that’s exactly what happened to Alexander Nikishin.
Alexander Nikishin debut
The 23-year-old Russian defenseman, who stands 6’4” and weighs 216 lbs, was drafted by the Hurricanes in the third round of the 2020 NHL Draft.
After being eliminated from the Russian playoffs with SKA St. Petersburg, the Hurricanes called him over. On Thursday, he skated onto the ice at Capital One Arena to play in his first NHL game. During his very first shift, he found himself up against none other than Alexander Ovechkin. But rather than being intimidated, Nikishin made hockey fans love his debut.
Stole Ovechkin’s Stick
In a now-viral video among hockey fans, Nikishin is seen skating backward. As Alexander Ovechkin passes by, Nikishin casually steals his stick and tosses it aside. The move has earned him plenty of praise and laughter for his cheeky antics.
“Loving him already,” one fan wrote on TikTok.
“That’s a bold move for a first shift! Ovi must’ve been surprised,” another commented.
“I’m gonna like this kid!” a third person added.
The Carolina Hurricanes are now advancing to the Eastern Conference Final, where they’ll face either the Florida Panthers or the Toronto Maple Leafs.
You can watch the video below.
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