Note the extras from GoldenEye at top right. (Photo credit: dynamo.ru)

Monday was supposed to mark Alex Ovechkin‘s first meeting with 2012 first overall pick Nail Yakupov. When Dynamo Moscow hosted Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk, Yakupov instead had to endure an international fiasco last week and was held out of the line-up by Coach Vladimir Golubovich despite being reinstated over the weekend.

Meanwhile, the Russian machine had his best game yet in a blue and white jersey, notching his second goal of the KHL season and tallying an assist in Dynamo’s 5-1 mollywhopping of Neftekhimik. Ovi had 5 shots in a season-low 14:44 ice time.

Video ahoy!

Here’s Ovechkin’s power play goal. Notice how effortlessly he targets his one-timer on the wattle bottle. With this much time and space in the NHL, I’m pretty sure he’d score ~183 goals.

On his assist, Ovechkin and Konstantin Gorovikov show off some slick passing before finding line-mate Dominik Granak in the slot for a goal.

Through five KHL games, Ovechkin is a point-per-game player, tallying two goals and three assists.

Yakupov and Ovechkin did eventually meet, but during intermission and away from the ice. Yakupov was giving an interview to Sovetsky Sport as Ovechkin slapped him on the back and asked, “How are you?”

“Everything’s fine,” Yakupov responded.

The 18-year-old Oilers prospect then turned to his interviewer and said: “Oh! He knows [why I'm not playing].”

Yakupov continued:

I hope to get a spot in the lineup for the next game. Because I really want to play! This is the second game I am missing. It’s a pity I didn’t get to play against Dynamo. It would be great to play with Ovechkin! But no big deal, it’s hockey. I am not upset with the coaches. I will catch up.

Ovechkin and Dynamo will next play Ak Bars on Wednesday.

GIF by welshhockeyfan.tumblr.com

Translation by Igor Kleyner.

Kuznetsov’s goal against Neftekhimik comes at the 1:00 mark — his assist immediately thereafter. He also has a breakaway attempt at 2:05.

In a Kharlamov Division match-up Monday, the KHL’s Traktor Chelyabinsk destroyed Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (how do you even say that?) 8-2, their biggest win of the season. The Petrochemists, whose defense might as well have been staffed by actual scientists, had no answer for Caps prospect Evgeny Kuznetsov. Kuzya scored his tenth goal of the season — the game’s deciding tally — on a beautiful wraparound to put Traktor up 3-0 in the first period. Also, he fancily went behind the back to assist on Andrei Popov’s goal from the slot.

That was Kuznetsov’s third straight two-point performance. He also has four goals and four assists in his last five games against Neftekhimik. The 19-year-old Russian also continues to lead the league in game-winning goals (five) and is tied for third place in overall goals (ten), which is three less than leader Roman Cervenka.

Wednesday, Kuznetsov did not register a point as Traktor beat powerhouse Ak Bars Kazan 3-2. With the win, the White Bears now sit first in the KHL’s Eastern Conference, and are tied for most standings points in the league.

Additional reporting by Ian Oland.

On Sunday, Evgeny Kuznetsov’s Traktor Chelyabinsk played Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (say that three times fast) at home. Kuzya continued his fantastic start to the regular season, scoring two goals in the game, his second of which was his most beautiful on the season. Don’t believe me? Check out the footage after the jump.

Goal #1, Snapshot Off the Face-off

Goal #2, Takes Skate Around Offensive zone, Scores on Wrap-Around

This is a first for the young Caps prospect.

Traktor won the game 4-2 and Kuzya is now tied for the KHL league-lead in goals.

To summarize:

• Kuznetsov’s seven goals ties him for the league-lead with Denis Abdullin, ’01 Red Wings draftee Igor Grigorenko, and KHL superstar Roman Cervenka.
• He has goals in four of the last five games.
• He currently has a five-game point streak.
• Sunday marked the 19-year-old’s first multi-goal, multi-point game of the year.
• It also was his first multi-plus (+2) game of the year