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WASHINGTON -- For nearly four years, Washington Capitals fans have watched video clips of Evgeny Kuznetsov playing in Russia and imagined what he could do in the NHL. NFL Jerseys 2020 Paypal . On Friday night, Kuznetsov began compiling the North American version of his greatest hits -- posting three assists for his first NHL points in the Capitals 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Kuznetsov assisted during a power play as countryman Alex Ovechkin finished with a slap shot for his NHL-leading 45th goal. Less than five minutes later, Kuznetsov faked a slap shot from the wing and fed the puck to Tom Wilson for his third goal. In the third period, Kuznetsov started a sequence that led to Mike Green putting the Capitals ahead for good with 9:41 left. Green scored with a slap shot off a feed from Nicklas Backstrom from behind the net. "(Kuznetsov) did a great job battling down the corner and keeping control of the puck," said Green, who scored his ninth goal. "He made a great play to Nicky, and I noticed when Nicky was wheeling the net that he saw me before he even looked up." It was the third NHL game for Kuznetsov, the Capitals first-round pick in the 2010 draft. He signed with Washington last week after five years in Russias Kontinental Hockey League. "You get your first point on the power play, which is kind of an easy point, but it still counts," Washington coach Adam Oates said. "You get your juices going. Great play on the second goal, and then protecting the puck on a cycle (on the third goal), which is kind of something you dont necessarily expect." Kuznetsov played on Washingtons fourth line with fellow rookie Wilson and Jay Beagle, who contributed an assist. "He is such a creative player and a lot of fun to play with," Wilson said. "The first couple of games he wasnt sure, and hes really finding his groove. Hopefully we can have some chemistry for years to come." Kuznetsovs performance helped the Capitals forget the 12th time this season theyve blown a two-goal advantage. Washington led 3-1 early in the third period before Shawn Matthias and Nicklas Jensen scored for Vancouver to tie it. The goal by Jensen, a rookie playing in his sixth game, was the first of his NHL career. "I just felt we were just going to keep on coming," Vancouver coach John Tortorella said. "Theyve given up some leads here. We got that third one, I thought we were just going to take off. We had some chances." Vancouver outshot Washington 41-21, but the Capitals killed all seven Canucks power plays. Jaroslav Halak made 38 saves in his fourth start with the Capitals. "He had a fantastic night," Oates said. "We left him hanging." Jordan Schroeder scored Vancouvers first goal, and Chris Higgins and Christopher Tanev both had two assists. Eddie Lack stopped 17 shots as Vancouver fell to 3-12-1 in its last 16 games. "Its frustrating. I thought we played really well all game," Matthias said. "To tie it up there and let that happen, its upsetting." The night got off to a difficult start for the Canucks, whose bus broke down. Players then took cabs to the arena. Joel Ward opened the scoring for Washington, but the second period belonged to Kuznetsov. "Hes sort of got that young mentality where you know youre not afraid to make a play and do these things that youre capable of," Green said. "Hes going to be a great player." NOTES: The Canucks learned on Friday they will be without C Ryan Kesler for two weeks. Kesler, who leads the team with 22 goals, injured his knee in a 3-2 shootout victory on Wednesday over Winnipeg. ... The International Olympic Committee ruled that Backstrom wasnt at fault for his positive drug test before the gold-medal game at the Olympics, in which he didnt play, and he will receive the silver medal he earned with Sweden. Discount NFL Jerseys 2020 .com) - Kam Chancellor bobbed his head in celebration as he crossed the goal line on his game-clinching 90-yard interception return. Wholesale NFL Jerseys 2020 .com) - The Calgary Flames were again involved in a game in which a team was held scoreless, only this time they came out on the winning side. https://www.nfljerseys2020.com/ . Pominville scored in all three of Minnesotas games last week to help the Wild (8-4-3, 19 points) earn four out of a possible six points. His best performance was in a 4-3 win over Montreal on Friday, where he posted a season-high three points (two goals, one assist), including the game-winning goal.VANCOUVER - Nik Stauskas was nine years old when he was selected to play one-on-one with then-Raptors star Vince Carter at an open team scrimmage at Torontos Air Canada Centre.So it was fitting that Stauskas, now 20, should make his NBA debut on Canadian soil, against the team he grew up watching.Speaking with a half dozen reporters pre-game, the Sacramento Kings rookie looked forward to hearing O Canada played at Rogers Arena.Definitely that will be cool, he said. Especially being my first NBA game, back in Canada. Its definitely cool.The sharp-shooter a€” famous for his YouTube videos of shooting threes on his backyard basketball court at his Mississauga, Ont., home a€” had 12 points in 25:56 of court time.Stauskas entered the game late in the first quarter, and drained his first shot a€” a three-pointer.The six-foot-six shooting guard is part of a Canadian basketball bumper crop, and one of three Canadians taken in the first round of last summers NBA draft. Cleveland took Andrew Wiggins at No. 1, while Tyler Ennis went 18th to the Phoenix Suns.Stauskas, whose dad Paul, mom Ruta, and brother Peter were at Rogers Arena for the game, said his first NBA training camp has been great. Its pretty tiring, weve been competing a lot and getting after it, Stauskas said prior to tipoff. I feel like everyone is starting to get more confident, starting to gel a little bit more, so today should be a good test for us going up against some new faces and really see how far weve come.He figured thered be some nerves in his first NBA game, which was played in front of a sold-out crowd.Maybe a little bit, the butterflies and stuff like that, but I feel like Im starting to get comfortable with this group of guys, and with all the summer league games we had and training camp, I feel pretty settled in, Stauskas said.Im sure when I get out there, therell be a little bit of nerves, but once we get in the flow of the game, Ill probably settle down.Much has been made in camp about the competition for minutes between Stauskas and fellow shooting guard Ben McLemore, who was drafted by the Kings seventh overall a year earlier.I get it, because its everyones job to kind of stir the pot a little bit, Stauskas said. This is professional basketball, so everyones competing for minutes, everyones competing for a job, so we dont hold anything against each other. I feell like were great friends, on and off the court. NFL Jerseys Wholesale. But when were at practice, we go at each other, its all about competition.Kings coach Michael Malone said Stauskas was drafted to help fill a void in the teams offence a€” but he brings more than just his long-range shooting ability.We were 27th in the NBA in three-point percentage. Nik has great range on his shot. Hes got good size, Malone said. Hes a better athlete than advertised. The thing I like more about him than anything is just his IQ. I like how smart he is. He has a good feel for the game. He can make a play for himself. He can make a play for his teammate.Malone said there was criticism after the Kings drafted shooting guards two years in a row, but he said McLemore and Stauskas fit well together.We played them together quite often in Vegas in summer league. And we won that championship, he said. We really like to talk about positionless basketball. We dont need to have a true two guard on the floor, a true small forward on the floor. You put your five best players on the floor and let them make basketball plays, make them read off of each other and play off of each other, and good things will happen. . . But its also fun watching them compete and go after each other.a€?I love competition. I think its healthy. The cream will always rise to the top. I really feel that Nik is going to help Ben become a better player, and Ben is going to help Nik become a better player.Stauskas didnt play for Canadas mens team this past summer so he could focus on his NBA duties.I was busy with summer league and stuff like that, Stauskas said. I thought it would be better to rest and prepare for Kings basketball, I told them after my rookie year Id feel a little bit better and would join them in qualifying for the Olympics.The Kings also have Torontos Sim Bhullar in camp a€” a seven-foot-five centre who became the first player of Indian descent to sign an NBA contract when he inked a training camp deal with Sacramento.The Kings and Raptors play each other again Tuesday in Sacramento, then the Kings head to China to continue their pre-season.I hope so, Stauskas said, on the chances of doing some sightseeing. We only have two games and were there for quite a while, so hopefully Ill have some time to see the Great Wall of China or some other cool parts of their culture. ' ' '