Russia U18 - USA U18 - 2:8

The under 18 Russian national team played their first game of the World Championship in Grand Forks, the USA. The team were pitted against the Americans in their opener, and it always promised to be a tough examination of our players. 

Mark Rubinchik and Kirill Maximov both had to sit out the game as a result of becoming unwell, while Mikhail Zhukov was instated between the pipes.

The tournament hosts came flying out of the blocks inside the arena, and quick-fire goals from Clayton Keller and James Sanchez fired them ahead. Nevertheless, Russia weren't willing to give in easily, and Yaroslav Alexeev halved the deficit before the period was out.

Ivan Kozlov netted an equaliser at the start of the second, however unfortunately, that was to prove our last joyous moment of the game. The Americans took control after that, and scored two more markers to regain their advantage.

Things didn't improve in the third frame, and even after Mikhail Zhukov was pulled for Daniil Tarasov, the USA found the net four more times to take a resounding 8:2 victory.

Russian under 18 head coach Sergei Golubovich:

- Looking at the score, I can't say that things went well for us today. The guys felt the occasion right from the off. We got back into the game, but the third conceded goal was key. We played poorly in defence, especially during the game's second half. We didn't take advantage of our chances, and goaltender Mikhail Zhukov didn't play well during the second lot of 30 minutes. We will look over our mistakes. You have to give the USA credit, they are one of the tournament's favourites.

Match protocol:

Russia - USA - 2:8 (1:2, 1:2, 0:4)

Goals:

0:1 Keller (Fox), 03.44

0:2 Sanchez (Frederic), 04.28

1:2 Alexeev (Samorukov), 05.17

2:2 Kozlov (Lipanov), 22.21

2:3 Keller (Yamamoto), 36.18

2:4 Bellows (Anderson, Greenway), 36.32

2:5 Yamamoto (Krys), 46.19

2:6 Anderson (Krys, Keller), 47.30

2:7 Yamamoto (Brown, Mittelstadt), 50.46

2:8 Brown (Yamamoto, Luce), 54.00

Goalkeepers: Zhukov/Tarasov - Oettinger

Shots on goal: 21 - 45

Penalty minutes: 4 - 4

15.04.2016. Grand Forks, USA.

Russian line-up: 

Zhukov/Tarasov

Sergachyov, Zaitsev - Lipanov, Chekhovich, Kuznetzov;

A. Alexeev, Samorukov - Bitsadze, Y. Alexeev, Kostin;

Baranov, Osin - Dyomin, Svechnikov, I. Kozlov;

M. Kozlov - Lobanov, Marushev.

Russian Ice Hockey Federation