Translated material
Hammer squad
Our team is the most successful at the World Cup so far
The Russian team completed the first group stage at the World Championships in Riga with a 100% result. Vladimir Krikunov's team defeated the teams of Kazakhstan (10:1), Belarus (3:2) and Slovakia (4:3). Our ice knights scored the most goals at this stage - 17 goals, demonstrating sharp attacking and fiery hockey. The Russians will start the second stage with four points for their hard-fought victory over the Belarusians and for yesterday’s success in the meeting with Slovakia. Next, to reach the quarterfinals, they will have to compete with Sweden and Switzerland, who solved the problem of continuing the fight for medals ahead of schedule, as well as with Ukraine, which defeated the Italians on Wednesday - 4:2.The first goal of the tournament for the Russians was scored by the only NHL representative on the team, Washington forward Alexander Ovechkin. It took us only 96 seconds to open the scoring in the game with Kazakhstan. Pucks flew into the gates of our closest geographical neighbors after combinations for every taste. The Russians turned on the red light five times, using their numerical advantage, and carried out another effective counterattack while outnumbered. Two Alexanders scored hat-tricks - Semin and Ovechkin, who will play together for the Capitals next season. Moreover, the current NHL player scored all the goals from the passes of Magnitogorsk Metallurg leader Evgeniy Malkin, and Semin, in turn, was assisted exclusively by Nikulin and Zaripov.
In the first line of the attack, Krikunov placed Semin, his teammate from Mytishchi “Khimik” Denis Arkhipov and Danis Zaripov from Kazan “Ak Bars”. Young people in the person of Malkin, another Magnitogorsk resident Nikolai Kulemin and Ovechkin made up the second three, and the experienced Maxim Sushinsky, Alexander Kharitonova and Igor Emeleev were in the third five. In principle, all of Krikunov’s links turned out to be equivalent, as evidenced by the statistics of the matches held at the first stage.
After the defeat of Kazakhstan, the team did not fall into euphoria. It was difficult to imagine that the game with the Belarusians would be so easy. Certain fears were confirmed. Who, if not the opposing coach, Washington's helmsman Glen Hanlon, would know what needs to be done to neutralize such a sharp forward as Ovechkin. Alexander was unlucky in the first period. He was entrusted with the execution of the shootout, and the winner of the Kharlamov Trophy prize for the best Russian in the NHL seemed to do everything correctly, but the puck hit the post. In the second 20 minutes, the Russians found themselves in the role of catching up. Defender Denis Kulyash came to the rescue and, in his typical style, equalized the score with a cannon shot. The victory was brought by Kharitonov, who scored seven minutes before the siren.
No matter how bright our forwards play, in the playoffs much will depend on the reliability of the last line of defense. For now, the place in goal is occupied by 35-year-old Dynamo player Sergei Zvyagin. Only in the meeting with Kazakhstan, when the defeat became obvious, did Krikunov, a dozen minutes before the siren, give Alexander Fomichev the opportunity to smell gunpowder. Yesterday, the head coach changed the balance of power in the attack - Sushinsky and his comrades appeared in the first line, as at the recent Swedish hockey games. Alexey Mikhnov from the fourth five was transferred to the company of Arkhipov and Semin. The castling turned out to be more than successful. It was Mikhnov who scored the winning goal. The Slovaks, playing in the minority, left this powerful forward on the spot without any supervision, and the Yaroslavl player, having received the puck, without hesitation, accurately threw it at the target. The game of the opponents, of course, was affected by the absence of the son of head coach Frantisek Hossa - team captain Marjan Hossa. He was injured in the match with Kazakhstan and was unable to take to the ice yesterday.
There is no general rest day before the start of the second stage. Today the Russians will meet with Ukraine in Group F. In the six “E”, the Canadians will examine the Latvian championship hosts, now led by the ex-mentor of Tolyatti “Lada” Pyotr Vorobyov. In this sextet, the two current rivals are joined by Finland, the USA, the Czech Republic and Norway. The outsiders of the preliminary round quartets - Slovenia, Norway, Denmark and Kazakhstan - will play for the right to remain in the elite.