The test of time: the Russian junior hockey team won the Challenge Cup for the first time

The junior team of Russia for the first time in history won the hockey challenge Cup - a prestigious international tournament that is not inferior in level to the youth world championship. In the final, held in the city of Dawson Creek, the Russians met with the team of Eastern Canada and gained the upper hand in overtime - 2: 1.

Annual competitions are held under the auspices of the Canadian Hockey Association. Traditionally, only the Russian national team is represented by hockey players no older than 18 years old, the remaining teams declare players under 20 years old. In addition to the Russians, the Czech Republic, the USA, Canada-East and Canada-West took part in the current draw of the tournament.

The path to the main trophy of the Challenge Cup was very difficult for the wards of Sergei Golubovich. After winning the start of the group stage over Eastern Canada, they suffered three defeats in a row, the most sensitive of which was the defeat of the US team with a score of 7: 2.

Despite the unsuccessful series, the Russians managed to get together to the semifinals and confidently beat the Czechs - 5: 1. Thanks to the goal of Danil Gushchin and the hat-trick of Pavel Tyutnev, they were leading by the first break with a score of 4: 0. In the second game, Gushchin scored a double, and Chekhov was only enough to score one goal in the final twenty-minute period.

In the final, Russia was expected by the team of Eastern Canada. The coaching staff decided not to change the composition compared to the semi-finals, although this match was supposed to be the third in three days. And the bet worked: domestic juniors actively acted on the ice, pressed throughout the game and did not allow the owners of the ice to relax.

However, Canadians did not look like whipping boys. In the second period, a bullet was assigned to the gate of Yegor Guskov, but the goalkeeper managed to repel the throw. Thanks to the brilliant game of the defenders and goalkeepers, the score could never be opened in regular time, but the fans were waiting for the event-rich ending of the match.

At the 56th minute, the score was opened by the top scorer of the Challenge Cup Pavel Tyutnev. The attacker took the opponent by surprise with a long-range throw in the majority. However, Golubovich’s wards failed to calmly bring the match to the final siren: after the goal there were two consecutive deletions for the delay, one of which the judges could ignore. Canadians predictably took advantage of the numerical majority and transferred the game to overtime.

According to the rules of the tournament, an additional playing period lasts 20 minutes, but the opponents did not have one period to identify the winner. Only in the fifth minute of the second overtime, after the North Americans earned the removal, defender Shakir Muhamadullin, with a click from an average distance, stopped the watch and fell into the arms of his partners.

3.5 hours - that’s how much the final match of the U18 World Challenge Cup lasted with two overtime! For those who missed everything (and those who just want to relive these emotions once more), they have put together the most important thing in a shorter video.

“Stopping on this victory is not worth it”

In total, the final match lasted three and a half hours. After the meeting, Sergey Golubovich shared his impressions of the tournament with reporters.

“The emotions are unbelievable! But it is very important to remind yourself of the main goals. It’s not worth stopping at this victory, ”the official website of the Russian Hockey Federation quotes the mentor.

He noted that in such matches, coaches get tired no less than players. Only if hockey players are more physically tired, is the coaching staff morally. Golubovich also paid tribute to the nature of his charges.

“This has been said many times - if the team has a character, it will achieve results. Yes, it may not always work out. But these guys have character, ”said the specialist.

The current result is also significant in that the Challenge Cup is the last major tournament for the junior team on the eve of the World Cup, which will be held from April 16 to 29, 2020. According to Golubovich, hockey players have gained valuable experience playing at a similar level.

“All teams are approximately equal in level. Maybe they are not so strong tactically, but the most important thing is that they are physically healthy, most hockey players are a year or two older. But our guys played strictly, played according to the system on which we are working, and which gives the result. Who is the greatest fellow today? The whole team, ”concluded the coach.

Following the results of the competition, two Russians were included in the symbolic team - goalkeeper Guskov and defender Daniil Chaika. The goalkeeper admitted that the final meeting was given to him especially hard.

“I no longer had the strength to speak in the locker room before the second overtime, but we all understood - either we or they. We wanted more. They told each other that this year we have the last match in the team, we must leave in the holidays in a good mood. How tired on a scale of 1 to 10? On 10! Now most of all I want to go to bed and sleep, ”said Guskov.

The contribution to the victory of the pupils of the Ufa “Salavat Yulaev” was highly appreciated by the club’s sports director Vasily Chizhov.

“I want to congratulate all the fans on this important and historic victory. It is doubly pleasant for Ufa that the winning puck in the overtime of the final match with the Canadians is in the account of Shakir Muhamadullin, who is gradually being brought to the main team in Salavat. In addition, we are happy for our striker Alexander Pashin. The guys win in the international arena, representing their country, which is always great, ”the Championship official quotes.

We add that in the match for the bronze medal of the tournament last year’s winner, the US team, defeated the Czech Republic in overtime with a score of 2: 1.