“The most shameful thing I've seen in hockey”
The match between Russia and Canada at the MFM turned out to be truly memorable. Not only that, the domestic team defeated the opponent with a tennis score - 6: 0, but also after the game a real scandal erupted. Maple Leaf captain Barrett Hayton refused to take off his helmet while playing the Russian anthem as a winning team.
The video shows how the wards of Valery Bragin are trying to draw the attention of the judges at this point. And after some time, captain of the Russian national team Grigory Denisenko went to deal with Hayton, but the referees stopped him in time.
As a result, domestic hockey players refused to shake the hand of the Canadian, and striker Kirill Marchenko, driving past Hayton, twisted his finger at the temple. In turn, Denisenko said that the whole team did not like what happened.
🇷🇺 captain Grigori Denisenko didn't want to get into the anthem issue with Hayton
"Just something the whole team didn't like," was all he said through a translator https://t.co/TYgGbbj7Ai
The player’s behavior remained dissatisfied with the ocean. For example, he was criticized by former NHL striker San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings Devin Setoguchi.
“Barrett Hayton, captain of the youth team of Canada, committed the most shameful act that I saw in hockey. Now the team needs to make an apology statement or withdraw it from the squad, ”Setoguchi wrote on Twitter.
Hayton himself after the match did not say a word about what happened, but at the same time he paid tribute to the Russian team.
“I do not think this game should be forgotten. This is an alarming bell, there was a sour taste in the mouth from the match, we need to learn a lesson from it. There was no underestimation of the opponent, we knew that this was a great team. They went out and played amazingly. It's not about underestimating, we just were not ready. Yes, Russia benefited a couple of rebounds, but you yourself saw how they looked. They attacked us, it was not just a couple of successful bounces, ”the captain of the“ Championship ”quotes.
However, later Hayton was forced to apologize.
“I apologize for not taking off his helmet during the performance of the anthem of Russia after today's game. I apologize to the Russian team and its fans. As a team leader, I tried to analyze the game and evaluate how we can regroup. I was confused at this moment. The Russians had a great match, and my actions did not imply disrespect for them. My mistake should not detract from their victory. My duty to my team and all Canadians is to be better, ”the Hockey Federation of Canada quoted him on his Twitter.
Canadian hockey functionaries spoke out on their own behalf.
“The Canadian Hockey Federation has great respect for the Russian Hockey Federation, its players, coaches, leadership and fans. We want our athletes and employees to show the same respect ... The Canadian Hockey Federation apologizes to the International Hockey Federation, the Russian Hockey Federation and all Canadians for this incident, ”the statement said.
“We drove ourselves into the pit, Russia had the initiative”
After the match, the national team coaches did not talk about what happened and were in a completely different mood. Bragin was completely satisfied with his team, although he found a reason for criticism.
“Almost from the first to the last minute we acted tactically correctly, which cannot but rejoice. Only two or three segments were not entirely successful. But the main thing: everyone understood that a tactically correct game decides a lot. Am I proud of a record victory over Canada? This is just a group stage. Of course, the result is good, but the most important thing is the quality of the game. Most need to be improved. Now reassured the guys. Five minutes thanked, rejoiced. We are preparing further, ”said the specialist.
However, he doubted that Canadians could be afraid of Russian hockey players.
“No, we successfully started and quickly abandoned, and in such games this is very important. Moreover, when you score three or four, confidence comes to you. And the opponent begins to rush and act incorrectly. It is important that they played very competently in the final period. Almost nothing was allowed to do the opponent. Offside with Khovanov puck? There was nothing there. We watched. If there was an offside position, then the judges would not have missed it, ”added Bragin.
In turn, the Canadians' mentor Dale Hunter lamented that his wards in the first period made several mistakes at once, and it cost the Maple Leaves match.
“We drove ourselves into the pit, Russia had the initiative. It happens. A defeat is a defeat, and it doesn’t matter if you lose with a score of 0: 6 or 0: 1. We made losses and paid for it. But we know Russia very well from the Super Series. We have a lot of information about this team. Today, Canada did not play as it should. And the Russians had a good match. After the defeat from the Czechs, they needed a big victory, and they won it, ”said the coach.
He also talked about the state of health of the injured Alexi Lafrenier, the main star in the Maple Leaves.
“We don’t yet know how serious his damage is, doctors are examining him,” Hunter said.
"Shouted:" Are you afraid? Come on, play! ” He just left. ”
Hockey players of the Russian national team, like Bragin, did not hide the joy of the victory after the match, but emphasized that it happened only at the stage of the group stage. And the defender Yegor Zamula was the most notorious. According to him, Canadians were simply afraid of the Russian team.
“They were afraid to go into martial arts. They were afraid of us, it was visible. In several moments I wanted to hold a force, and they just left to change. I shouted: “Are you afraid? Come on, play! ” He was just leaving. I do not know, these were not Canadians. "Sat down" from the first minutes, their goalkeeper trembled. We increased the pace, the bench lived. We tried to play more aggressively, tougher. We did it. Lafrenier will go home with Lauco, ”the hockey player recalled.
At the same time, he noted that the Canadians tried to provoke the whole game of the Russians and sometimes acted dirty.
“Whom will we cut down from the Americans?” We will see! So far, all the leaders are breaking down, and we play good hockey. We will increase the pace. We do not specifically injure anyone, it is a matter of chance that hockey players get injured precisely in matches with Russia. So we have a tough defense. We will play and build momentum, ”said Zamula.
A striker Vasily Podkolzin noted that the game showed: Russian hockey players are not weaker than Canadian.
“In the first period we had a little talk with Lafrenier. I don’t know whether arrogant Canadians or not, but they behave like winners. We had to lower them a little from heaven to earth, play the first number and not forget at all who we are. I would not say that Lafrenier injury is the key moment of the meeting. We played exactly throughout the match, maybe there were minute failures, but on the whole we completed the coaching set and fought for each other. Is it ready to repeat that in Russia there are enough such as Lafrenier? Oh sure. You saw everything yourself. We have better than Alexi. There are many talented players in Russia. I do not think that according to Lafrenier it is necessary to set the bar. You can raise it higher, ”said Podkolzin.
And one of the best hockey players in the Russian national team was goalkeeper Amir Miftakhov. In the debut match at the MFM, the goalkeeper “Ak Bars” repelled 28 shots and scored a shutout.
“I heard that this is Russia's largest victory over Canada in the history of the MFM, nice. But we were even told in the locker room not to keep track of the score, it was always 0-0. We continue to play further, and that’s it. We are already cold. The match is over, move on. The tournament is just beginning, two games have passed. We just need to cling to such a game, ”Miftakhov noted.
The goalkeeper also spoke about the episode with Lafrenier injury at the start of the second period. Alexi after the save Miftakhova unsuccessfully clung to the goalkeeper's leg and twisted his ankle. The attacker left the site only with the help of partners and never returned to the ice.
“He tried to beat me, I did not let him score. The puck was next to me, it was necessary to control it. Therefore, I did not see Alexi’s actions, I didn’t see how he fell, I didn’t even understand anything. Of course, it’s a pity when such a player drops out, it would be interesting to follow him further, ”Miftakhov emphasized.
In turn, the author of the first goal against Canadians, Alexander Khovanov, noted that the Russian team was helped by a quick goal. But at the same time, he refused to call this victory over the “Maple Leaves” special.
“It's always good to make history. After the defeat from the Czechs, we calmed down a bit, realized that this is only the first game and there are still many matches ahead. Today they showed what they are capable of and very happy, ”Khovanov said.
And Yegor Sokolov, who scored the fifth goal, spoke about the celebration of his goal and his removal at the very end of the match.
“I did not try to celebrate it in a special way. He just stumbled, and Zamula rolled on his stomach to me, and I no longer knew what to do. Last minute delete episode? He stood in front of the goal, he wanted to leave the nickle, but the opponent crashed into me and tried to push me into the goal. He wanted to push him away, but his hands went to the side, and apparently hit on the head. The judges gave "2 + 10". But this is their decision, I will not dispute it. I just went into the locker room, calmed my nerves, ”Sokolov said.
He also noted that it was important not to yield to Canadians in martial arts and skirmishes, as they “love to play dirty.”
“We tried to competently wage a power struggle, to suppress the opponent with our dimensions. It was important to catch the courage. We suffered an insulting defeat from the Czechs, but we got together, and here is the result. The biggest victory ever in Canada? I don’t pay attention to it, the victory is always pleasant, but this is only a group stage, ”Sokolov emphasized.