Ivan Miroshnichenko will never forget Thursday night.
The 20-year-old winger scored his first NHL goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins, marking a high point in the team’s 6-0 win over their longtime rivals. After a week that saw Washington sell off at the trade deadline for the second season in a row, Miroshnichenko’s milestone offered hope for not only the Capitals’ dwindling playoff chances but also the bright future ahead.
Head coach Spencer Carbery presented a grinning Miroshnichenko with the goal puck during his postgame locker room speech. Though still learning English, Miroshnichenko gave a speech of his own, spurred on by a chorus of cheers from his teammates.
“Thank you guys,” he said. “It’s an amazing night for me, for my family. Keep going!”
Pretty to watch all around#ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/XfJRcVmCbU
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 8, 2024
Even while speaking, Miroshnichenko could hardly keep his eyes off of his milestone keepsake, glancing between his teammates and the puck as he held it aloft.
He was still smiling later when posing with the puck. Playing in just his fifth NHL game and his first since a late-February recall, Miroshnichenko appeared to still be wearing the base layer he’d used with the Hershey Bears.
What a journey to this moment.
Congrats, Miro!#ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/DYNnzk6WNB
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 8, 2024
“Was kind of shocked,” Miroshnichenko said of the goal, translated by Aliaksei Protas. “A little blacked out when I scored. It’s been a long way for me and I finally got it in. Hopefully it’s not my last one.”
“I was kind of shocked and blacked out a little when I scored. It’s been a long way for me and finally got one in.”
Ivan Miroshnichenko speaks to the media after recording his first NHL goal.#CapsPens pic.twitter.com/ERv8aJqxuC
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 8, 2024
Miroshnichenko’s road to the NHL has been longer than most. He was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in early 2022, upending much of his draft year and keeping him away from hockey as he underwent treatment. After returning to the ice in November, Miroshnichenko signed with the Capitals in May of 2023.
He made the jump to North American hockey with the Hershey Bears this season and has scored 25 points (9g, 16a) in 47 games. With Anthony Mantha traded to the Vegas Golden Knights, Miroshnichenko had the chance to get back into the lineup Thursday for the first time since a four-game stint with the Capitals in late December.
Seeing Miroshnichenko score — not to mention the exuberant celebration that followed — made an impact on the whole team. Teammates mobbed him after the goal, with captain Alex Ovechkin giving him even more congratulations on the bench.
“I was kind of waiting for that reaction from the bench,” Miroshnichenko said. “And everybody’s great guys and everybody was so happy. O for sure was so happy, too, and that was great to see.”
When asked about Miroshnichenko’s goal and celebration, Carbery beamed.
“It was awesome,” he said. “I don’t think he knew what to do. He wanted to go to O, but he wanted to go down the line, then he came back and he sat in the middle of the bench next to O. You could just see and feel his excitement and that smile. He was just glowing.
“Really really happy for him to get his first NHL goal. And the setting: on the road, in Pittsburgh. Big game. We get a shutout. So that was a great moment that I’ll never forget, and I know he won’t either.”
Congratulations, Miro!
