Aydar Suniev scores twice as Russians shine in NHL preseason
Calgary's Aydar Suniev scored both goals against Seattle, while Washington's Ivan Miroshnichenko had two points as Russians impressed early in NHL preseason.
Aydar Suniev scored both of Calgary's goals in a 2:4 preseason defeat by Seattle, and his four shots were the most of any Flames player.
The 21-year-old forward has six NHL games behind him, all in 2025/26, and has yet to win a regular place. Matvei Gridin and Yan Kuznetsov, also Russians, had no points in the same game. Gridin played 37 NHL games last season.
Ivan Miroshnichenko had two points in Washington's 2:3 shootout loss to Boston. He set up the first goal, then scored himself two seconds after a power play expired. The Capitals played without Alex Ovechkin.
Miroshnichenko is 22. He spent the last three seasons moving between Washington and Hershey, and played 13 games for the Capitals last season, scoring three points. Ilya Nabokov is also named among the Russians who have started well.
The NHL preseason has just begun, and clubs traditionally open it with experimental line-ups. Regular-season play starts in October. If Suniev and Miroshnichenko keep producing in the remaining exhibition games, this may put them into the argument for opening-night places.
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