2018 Karjala Cup. Russia - Finland - 3:0

In the opening 2018 Karjala Cup match, the senior Russian national team comfortably defeated hosts Finland, earning a confident 3:0 victory at the Hartwall Arena.

Head coach Ilya Vorobyov decided to give HC CSKA Moscow goalkeeper Ilya Sorokin a chance in net, while putting Kirill Kaprizov, Mikhail Grigorenko and Andrei Loktionov in the first line together. Captain and forward Evgeny Ketov was in the fourth.

Starting on the front foot, Russia made the breakthrough after four minutes, as Mikhail Grigorenko beat the opposing goalkeeper when charging down the left wing. Late in the opening frame, defenseman Nikita Nesterov then doubled the advantage, thumping a powerful slap shot into the net on the powerplay.

Alexei Pedan rounded things off in the second frame with a third marker, sealing the emphatic 3:0 win! Russia will next play in the competition on Saturday.

Match protocol:

Russia - Finland - 3:0 (2:0, 1:0, 0:0)

Goals:

1:0 Grigorenko (Loktionov), 04.08
2:0 Nesterov (Kaprizov), 11.15
3:0 Pedan (Telegin), 34.40

Goalkeepers: Sorokin - Metsola

Shots on target: 21 - 28

Faceoffs: 20 - 22

Penalty minutes: 10 - 6

08.11.2018.