Dynamo Moscow lockout signing Alex Ovechkin was content with his physical shape in his KHL debut match on Thursday.
The Gagarin Cup winner demolished Dynamo Minsk 7-2 on home ice, with Ovechkin getting an assist in the third period.
The game dismantled concerns that the Washington Capitals star would be unfit due to lack of practice.
“I feel good and that makes me happy. I thought that my physical state would be worse. I was worrying about it because I didn’t have game practice and team trainings,” Ovechkin said after the game.
The 27 year old was sure that it wouldn’t take him long to get reacquainted with European rinks, which are bigger than in North America.
"There is a lot of space near the goals and all defensemen who guard the crease focus on one-on-one play," he said. "And when the puck rebounds, you have more chances to take it and score a goal."
Dynamo’s next game is Sunday against SKA St. Petersburg, which should see the debut of another star forward in Ilya Kovalchuk, who joined the Gazprom-backed team from the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday.
