Useful link

Russia took the ROSNO Cup thanks to the goals of the top three

The Russian national team won the third stage of the Eurotour - the traditional Moscow December tournament ROSNO Cup, previously known as the Izvestia Prize and the Baltic Cup. The return to the ice of the Luzhniki Sports Palace after five years turned out to be successful. Head coach Vladimir Krikunov’s team entered yesterday’s match against the Czech Republic as not only the early winner of the competition, but also the leader of the entire Eurotour. The meeting ended with a score of 3:1 in favor of the hosts.

Already in the opening round, the Russians caught up with the Swedes in the overall Eurotour standings, achieving a victory over Tre Krunur for the first time this season - 3:1. Krikunov placed forwards Sushinsky, Malkin and Kharitonov in the top three, and the scoring was opened precisely at the moment when this particular link was on the court. In the fourth minute, having realized the numerical majority, Dynamo player Sushinsky scored, who eventually became the main hero of the tournament. Alexander Semin, who started the season in Lada Tolyatti and then moved to Khimik, doubled our advantage, and the Russians scored the last goal into an empty net. Trying to save a point with the score 1:2, the Swedes removed the goalkeeper and replaced him with an extra field player, but Booth, to the delight of the crowd, scored the third goal 35 seconds before the siren.

The second meeting with the Finns followed a similar scenario. True, the hosts had to wait longer for the first goal. And again the goal was scored by the first-line hockey players - Sushinsky was again assisted by Kharitonov. Our goalkeeper Maxim Sokolov played a brilliant game, repeatedly helping the team out in difficult situations. Towards the end of the match, SU-33, as the leader of the “blue and white” attack is called in hockey circles, Sushinsky, again punished the opponent, who decided to use the last chance for a draw in regulation time. With a well-timed shot from the middle of the ice, he sent the puck into the unattended goal.

Since on the first day of the tournament the Finns, playing a match in Prague, beat the hosts in shootouts - 3:2, and on Saturday the Swedes beat the Czechs in overtime - 1:0, the winner of the ROSNO Cup was determined ahead of schedule. The Russians won the main trophy of the tournament for the second year in a row. Yesterday, after Tre Krunur lost to the Finns 1:2, it became clear that Krikunov’s team was out of reach and in first place in the Eurotour standings. However, the Moscow fights were of more interest from the point of view of preparing our team for the Olympics in Turin. There is still a lot of uncertainty here. The new general manager of the national team, Pavel Bure, confirmed that the names of all Olympians will be announced on December 23, but not a single specific name has been announced yet. Negotiations are continuing with hockey players playing in the NHL, but some of them have already announced their refusal.

During the ROSNO Cup, one fundamental decision was nevertheless made - the best scorer of the Super League, Magnitogorsk striker Evgeniy Malkin, will go to the World Youth Championship in Vancouver, which starts next Monday. The issue regarding Malkin was discussed directly at the executive committee of the Russian Hockey Federation. Let us remind you that at the previous world championship among peers, senior national team player Alexander Ovechkin received a serious shoulder injury and then had a long recovery. There were also concerns now that the playing load for Malkin, who is almost a 100% candidate for the Olympic team, would be too large. Nevertheless, young talent is still sent to Canada.

ROSNO Cup. Final standings of the teams : Russia - 6* points, Finland - 5, Sweden, Czech Republic* - 2 each. Overall Eurotour standings : Russia - 17* , Sweden - 16, Finland - 11, Czech Republic - 7* .

Vladimir ILYIN