World Cup friendly match. Canada - Russia - 3:2 OT

Russia took on Canada in their final World Cup of Hockey warm-up match in Pittsburgh, the USA. Head coach Oleg Znarok kept SKA players Pavel Datsyuk, Evgeny Dadonov and Vadim Shipachyov in the line-up.

There was high excitement before this match, and the anticipation transferred into brutal physical action on the ice. Right from the off, Canada set a ridiculously high tempo, and they created serious problems for Russia. Our players were having trouble keeping possession, however on the powerplay, we had the best chance to take the lead. A neat passing play set up Alexander Ovechkin, and somehow the Washington Capitals player failed to score. Such opportunities don’t come too often against Canada, and not long after that, the Canadians showed us how it’s done. Sidney Crosby fed the onrushing Patrice Bergeron, and the latter backhanded over the blocker. That goal seemed to flatten Russia, and there was only one team on the ice for the remainder of the period. The Russians were all over the place, and had it not been for Sergei Bobrovsky, Canada could have been over the hills and far away.

Fortunately, Russia’s players managed to sort themselves out for the second stanza, and the game evened itself out to a degree. Canada aided our cause by taking two penalties in a row, and with a man’s advantage, Nikita Zaitsev smashed his shot against the woodwork. That proved to be the closest we would come during the frame, and as time rolled on, Canada had some big chances on the counterattack. Sergei Bobrovsky was Russia’s main man, and he was being tested with shots from all possible angles.

Our players were in need of goals, and surprisingly, the Canadians seemed willing to help them. They gifted us a five on three, and Alexander Ovechkin punished them with a stinging slap shot. All of a sudden, the momentum was with Russia, and we went in for the kill. Canada had fallen asleep, and ex SKA forward Artemiy Panarin smashed home a juicy rebound to make it 2:1. The opponents were ragged, but after some near escapes, John Tavares’ hopeful long shot found its way past an unsighted Sergei Bobrovsky to take us to overtime.

According to NHL rules, it was a three on three extra period, and Canada finished it. Ryan Getzlaf netted when clean through, and despite a spirited performance, especially from Sergei Bobrovsky, Russia have lost to Canada 2:3.

Match protocol:

Canada – Russia – 3:2 OT (1:0, 0:0, 1:2 – 1:0)

Goals:

1:0 Bergeron (Crosby, Burns), 08.49

1:1 Ovechkin (Panarin, Malkin), 43.40

1:2 Panarin (Dadonov, Shipachyov), 47.25

2:2 Tavares (Doughty), 53.58

3:2 Getzlaf (Burns), 63.29

Goalkeepers: Price – Bobrovsky

Shots on target: 48 – 26

Penalty minutes: 14 – 8

Faceoffs: 41 – 29

15.09.2016. Pittsburgh, USA.