Thursday, April 25, 2013

Russia eliminates Germany

Press Release

With a a 8-4 defeat of Germany, 2013 host nation Russia will play against defending U18 champions the United States in what promises to be a riveting matchup in Friday’s semi-finals.
Team captain Valeri Nichushkin scored a hat trick, while Ruzal Galeyev and Sergei Tolchinski each had two scores in the game as Russia pushed its undefeated record to 5W-0L in Sochi.

Just under six minutes into the third period, the game got ugly as six players Markus Eisenschmid, Andreas Schwarz, and Maximilian Vollmayer of Germany and Vladislav Gavrikov, Vladislav Lysenko, and Nikita Setdikov each received major penalties and 20-minute game misconducts, all for roughing, durign a series of scraps between the teams.

The game itself was a study of contrasts between the two nations. Playing on home ice at the site of next year’s Olympic Games, nothing less than a gold medal would be acceptable to the host Russians.

Germany, on the other hand, is a developing program that has been progressing slowly but surely, having made the playoff round at the U18 for the third year in a row. Facing the heavily favoured Russians, Germany would be hoping for a repeat of last year’s 4-2 preliminary round surprise game which saw Germany get its first ever win over Russia in the U18 category.

But an upset in the 2013 quarter-final was not to be, as Russia turned up the offence late in the first and through the second period, scoring four unanswered goals, blowing up what had been a tight game through most of the first period.

Russia, which has looked very good through the preliminary round, now has a very intruiging semi-final date against the United States, winners of the last four U18 World Championships.

The teams clashed on the first day of the tournament at the Bolshoy arena, with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the audience. Vladimir Tkachyov scored the game winner as Russia handed the U.S. its first defeat since April 16th 2009. The winner of that game? Russia 6-5.


(Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)

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