The junior national team have begun the World Championship with a victory

Russia’s first match of the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship in Helsinki, Finland took place today against the Czech Republic. Alexander Georgiev of TPS Turku was the starting netminder.

It was a nervy start inside the Hartwall Arena, with both teams not willing to take any risks at the start of the tournament. Russia were handed a five minute long powerplay in the opening period, but despite having such a long advantage the players couldn’t find the net. Indeed the Czechs were the more dangerous on the counterattack, and netminder Alexander Georgiev made a few smart stops.

Moving into the second period Russia began the brighter, and came really close to taking the lead. Pavel Kraskovsky took up the puck on the crease, did a full 360, but placed his shot against the crossbar. The Czechs then took control after that miss, and had a goal ruled out when Michael Spacek’s effort form the left faceoff circle was waved off for goaltender interference. He wasn’t to be denied though, and minutes later after being fouled he dispatched his ensuing penalty shot over Alexander Georgiev’s glove.

Russia had to come out hard in the third, and the team managed to wrestle back the initiative. The majority of the play was coming inside the Czech’s zone, and midway through the frame they levelled. SKA’s Alexander Dergachyov battled for the puck on the slot, and eventually Artur Lauta got the crucial touch to make it a tied game. The rest of the period belonged to Russia, and the Czech netminder made two excellent saves off Vladislav Kamenev’s slappers.

Overtime it was, and after no one could find the net penalty shots were required. Maxim Lazarev scored Russia’s first attempt, and it ended up being the winner as Alexander Georgiev made three saves. 2:1, and Russia begin their World Junior Championship campaign with a win!

Match protocol:

Czech Republic – Russia– 1:2 SO (0:0, 1:0, 0:1 – 0:1)

Goals:

1:0 Spacek, 33.54

1:1 Lauta (Fazleev, Dergachyov), 49.09

1:2 Lazarev, 65.00

Goalkeepers: Vanecek - Georgiev

Shots on target: 25 – 22

Penalty minutes: 27 – 6

26.12.2015. Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, Finland.

Russian Ice Hockey Federation