Absolute superiority: the Russian national team under the leadership of Larionov won the seventh victory in a row in Euro Hockey Tour

Coaching castling on the eve of the junior world championship

The Russian national team approached the Swedish Hockey Games as the confident leader of the Euro Hockey Tour.

In six matches of the tournament, the team won six victories, four of which were in regulation time.

Only the Scandinavians were able to take points away from domestic hockey players, who were twice defeated in a shootout.

At the same time, the team came to the two previous stages in completely different compositions.

The youth team headed by Igor Larionov went to the Karjala Cup.

As a result, she made a splash with three victories with a total score of 11: 3.

But at the home Cup of Channel One, an adult team headed by Valery Bragin performed.

The result was the same - a confident triumph.

It seemed that the national team would also be taken to Sweden by its mentor, but FHR again unexpectedly made a choice in favor of Larionov.

The federation explained this decision by the desire to provide the specialist headquarters with experience on the eve of the U18 World Championships in Ann Arbor and Plymouth, which will be held in April.

Moreover, it included the mentors of the national team of the corresponding age, Albert Leshchev and Vladimir Filatov.

“We are counting only on gold.

The headquarters is formed from coaches who go to this tournament.

It is important for us that Larionov gets up to 20 years of experience in working with teams.

Bragin and I are in touch, we are constantly discussing all issues, "- quotes the words of the first vice-president of the FHR Roman Rotenberg" Championship ".

Part of the team was really made up of hockey players who have the opportunity to travel to the USA.

Among them were eight people at once who spoke at the MFM-2021 (Yaroslav Askarov, Semyon Chistyakov, Zakhar Bardakov, Shakir Mukhamadulin, Vasily Podkolzin, Kirill Kirsanov, Marat Khusnutdinov, Maxim Groshev).

The very young striker Nikita Chibrikov, who is not yet 18, also received a call.

However, the base of the national team was made up of more experienced hockey players aged 20-22.

There was also a place for conditional "veterans": 25-year-old goalkeeper Alexander Samonov, who showed himself brightly at the Channel One Cup, 26-year-old Damir Zhafyarov and Vladimir Butuzov, and 27-year-old Sergei Shmelev.

Zhafyarov, as one of the oldest, received the captain's armband.

“The trip to the YCCH is important, let's see the players, there are many bright guys.

With Leschev, Filatov and Sasha Boykov we will see new people.

The experience gained will make it possible to create an efficient team.

We will preach fast hockey, active selection, active defense.

It is important to convey this to the guys in order to get ahead of any opponent one move or two ahead.

We want to return what we lost last year, ”said Larionov.

In turn, Bragin got the opportunity to calmly prepare SKA for the Gagarin Cup, because the current pause in the KHL calendar was the last on the eve of the playoffs.

At the same time, the specialist emphasized that he is constantly in touch with a colleague.

Two goals from Russia in 2.5 minutes

Already in the opening match of the Swedish stage of the Eurotour with Finland, Russia tried to demonstrate the hockey that Larionov preaches.

The national team, in the most experimental composition, tried to possess the puck as much as possible and hold it. 

It took the leader about ten minutes to swing.

Zhafyarov and company seized the initiative, but practically did not create dangerous moments.

Nikolay Kovalenko gave a good charge of emotions to the team.

The Lokomotiv forward at a speed flew to the patch from behind the gate and almost sent a shell into the net.

After that, the Russians began to play much more actively, and the goals were not long in coming.

Moreover, Larionov, for sure, was pleased with them, because they were the result of spectacular combinations.

Zhafyarov also deserved praise from the coach.

The newly made captain really led the young hockey players, but did not pull the blanket over himself, but assisted the partners.

As a result, in the first period, he became the author of two assists.

First, the striker from the starboard side performed a cross at Ivan Chekhovich, who left the puck in touch to Artyom Minullin.

And in the 17th minute, Chekhovich himself hit Harry Sateri's goal, using Zhafyarov's pass from the left edge.

Ivan - one of the leaders of "Torpedo" - took over these functions in the national team.

The Russians also acted superbly in defense.

Suffice it that in the first period the Finns made only one shot at the goal of Samonov, who was frankly bored at the last line.

The removal from the Russians at the end of the period did not help them either.

Larionov's wards not only defended themselves confidently, but almost scored the third goal.

The strong character of Larionov's squad

The second 20-minute was much more difficult for the domestic team.

The opponent finally came to his senses and seized the initiative.

However, for a long time, Yukka Yalonen's team failed to create a truly dangerous moment at the Samonov goal.

If the Finns were allowed to make a throw, it was not the very prospect of the position.

But in the middle of the period Suomi nevertheless reduced the score difference.

The opponent managed to escape in a quick counterattack, and Alexander Alekseev was left alone against two attackers at once.

Ere Innala calmly hit the near corner.

At some point, the Russians lost concentration and immediately almost missed it again.

Minullin had to foul near his own goal at the cost of a small fine.

To top it all off, Khusnutdinov fell extremely unsuccessfully on his hand and was forced to leave the ice.

I was only pleased that Larionov's wards in the minority again did not allow Finland to do anything.

However, at a difficult moment, the national team also demonstrated the ability to take a punch.

Despite the emotional upsurge of the opponent and the loss of a key striker, the Russians managed not only to fight back, but also to hit someone else's goal.

At the beginning of the third period, Vladimir Butuzov ran away one on one with Syateri after an excellent pass from Kovalenko and did not miss his chance.

The Finns immediately created a similar moment, but Samonov did not allow the attacker to outplay himself.

The goalkeeper also fully coped with the mission entrusted to him.

In the final 20-minute, he repeatedly saved the team, and made 20 saves in total.

Alexander did not flinch with his partners even after a double removal.

Three of the domestic hockey players literally lay under the puck, but did not allow it to be in the net.

Only 22 seconds before the final siren, Juuuso Pustinen reduced the Finnish backlog to a minimum, but it was too late. 

Thus, the Russian national team won the seventh victory in the current season of the Eurotour, four of which are under the leadership of Larionov.

On Saturday at 18:00 (Moscow time), domestic hockey players will meet with the hosts of the stage - Sweden.