Ilya Kovalchuk has an Olympic gold medal, but he is back in the NHL to add the one thing missing from his stellar career — a Stanley Cup.

Kovalchuk will make his Kings debut Friday when they open the season hosting the Sharks. It will be the 35-year old Russian’s first NHL game in five seasons.

“I went back to Russia to try and win the Olympics, but this is a new challenge,” Kovalchuk said. “I feel like I have some gas left in my tank.”

Kovalchuk signed a three-year, $18.75 million deal with the Kings after five seasons playing for SKA St. Petersburg in the Kontinental Hockey League, where he led the league in scoring twice and won two championships.

Jaroslav Halak stopped 32 shots as the Bruins rebounded from a season-opening shutout with a 4-0 win over the Sabres. AP