As a right-handed shooter playing the left wing for most of his hockey career, Nikita Popugaev has mastered the art of making saucer passes using the backhand side of his stick.
The 18-year-old from Moscow, Russia showed that skill Monday night in Cornwall, Ont., at the Shwerwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.
Popugaev spotted his Team Orr linemate Nico Hischier sneaking behind enemy lines and threaded the pass beyond the reach of three Team Cherry defenders.
The puck dropped and slid flat on the ice right on to the blade of Hischier's stick.
The talented Swiss centre, touted as a potential first-overall NHL draft pick, finished off his breakaway with a backhand deke through the legs of goalie Ian Scott to give Team Orr a brief lead early in the second period.
It was an unforgettable experience for Popugaev, knowing the game was being closely watched by representatives of all 30 NHL teams.
"For sure that was good time for me, it was fun to be with the best players on this draft year," said Popugaev, who had three shots on goal in the game. "I had a good line and played with Hischer and (Spokane Chiefs right winger Kailer) Yamamoto. It was a good experience and I had a lot of fun."
Team Cherry eventually prevailed, winning 7-5. The outcome didn't really matter to Popugaev.
"We, of course, tried to win, but it was a game for fun," he said. "We played hard. It's fine. I just tried to play my best game and I thought I did pretty good."
Popugaev, 18, joined the Cougars Jan. 5 in a trade from the Moose Jaw Warriors for forwards Yan Khomenko, 18, and Justin Almeida, 17, as well as the Cougars' first-round bantam draft pick in 2018 and their fifth-round pick in 2017. Popugaev leads the Cougars in scoring with 24 goals and 59 points in 52 games.
He collected all but eight of those points (two goals and six assists) in the 40 games he played for Moose Jaw.
Popugaev's parents from Moscow, Svetlana and Andrei, arrived in Prince George Thursday afternoon for a weeklong visit. The Cougars play tonight and Saturday at CN Centre against the Kelowna Rockets and hostthe Vancouver Giants next Tuesday and Wednesday before the Popugaevs return to Russia.
This will be their second trip to Canada this season to see Nikita in action. In late-October and early-November they saw him play four games in Moose Jaw for the Warriors. They watch teh Cougars' webcast games in Russia.
"I'm sure they will be glad to see me and watch the game in real life," said Popugaev.
"They will be here one week. I don't know Prince George but we will walk around and look at some nice places."
Popugaev will play tonight on the left side on a line with Brad Morrison and either Jackson Leppard or Josh Maser.
LOOSE PUCKS: Winger Tanner Wishnowski, 19, a former Rocket acquired at the trade deadline from Spokane, is still recovering from a shoulder injury and won't play for the Cougars this weekend... From Cat to Dog, former Cougars defenceman Jesse Forsberg has been lighting it up in his third season in the U Sports Canada West Conference playing for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. With 10 points in eight games in January,Forsberg was picked as the WHL graduate of the month. The 23-year-old native of Waldheim, Sask., leads the Huskies in scoring with 11 goals and 27 points in 24 games. He's the only Canada West defenceman in the top-20 in the scoring race. Forsberg played three full seasons for the Cougars from 2009-12, finishing his WHL career in Seattle and Moose Jaw.
