Canadiens Prospect Demidov Has Career Game vs. HK Sochi

The fifth-overall pick from the 2024 Draft, the Montreal Canadiens' Ivan Demidov, had the best game of his young professional career on Thursday, registering four points in a 7-4 SKA St. Petersburg win over HK Sochi.

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After beginning the 2024-25 KHL season in a slump, Demidov collected his first professional hockey goal on Sunday against Lada Togliatti before erupting for two goals and two assists in Thursday's victory.

The 18-year-old had three shots on goal while finishing the night tied for the best plus-minus total of any skater at plus-4 in 16:26 of ice time, the most he's played through six games.

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Demidov's slow start recently earned him a demotion to the fourth line, but he was back on the third line for the second consecutive game, which seems to motivate him since he's got five points in the past six periods.

Demidov Records First Career Four-Point Game

SKA St. Petersburg fell behind 1-0 and 2-1 in the first period before grabbing a 3-2 lead heading into intermission. On his team's second tally, Demidov earned the primary assist on Alexander Nikishin's goal at 15:50, while linemate Evgeny Kuznetsov had the secondary assist.

However, the Canadiens prospect wasn't done yet for points in the first, picking up the lone assist on Stepan Falkovsky's goal to give St. Petersburg their first lead of the contest at 18:37.

The home team continued to pile on the goals, building up a 5-2 lead in the second period before Demidov collected his first lamplighter of the night at 14:28. Daniil Seroukh and Kuznetsov assisted on the play.

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HK Sochi made things interesting with two goals in the third to cut into the deficit, making it a 6-4 contest with about half a period to go.

However, Demidov halted any chances of a comeback with an unassisted empty net goal at 18:40, capping off his most productive night in the KHL in only his sixth game of the season.

SKA St. Petersburgh returns to action on Saturday, September 21, against Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. The puck drops at 10:00 a.m. ET.

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