Russia cruises 6-1 over Latvia in WJC opener

13 Apr 2012 | Roman Solovyev

Russian junior team easily beat the Latvians 6-1 with 2 goals in every period.

The game didn’t start well for the Russians as they got 3 minor-penalties, but it didn’t change the game scenario as the head coach of team Russia Andrei Parfyonov said. After a bad start the Russians scored twice with help from Bogdan Yakimov and Arseny Khatsei.

"Alexei Filippov came in to the zone, I went to the corner. Then he made a pass to Yegor Malenkikh and I moved to the goalie’s crease. When I see his shot I upped my stick and beat the puck and scored," Khatsei described his goal.

The start of the second gave the Russians a 4-goal lead. Firstly Daniil Zharkov fired from the slot to make it 3-0; then Zharkov made a pass to Nikita Zadorov who scored a shorthanded goal at the breakaway. The Latvians began to increase their pressure on Andrei Vasilevsky’s net. Two posts, lost the puck on the breakaway or meeting Vasilevsky’s leg. The Russian scored twice in the third but it wasn’t the last goals of the night. Georgs Golovkovs with a nice wrist shot beat Vasilevsky and scored Latvia’s first goal at this WJC.

"We have a good team spirit and I hope we can prepare for tomorrow’s game against Suisse," Latvian captain Nikita Jevpalovs said.

"Russia was a tougher, more fast team. But I’m proud of my guys who played with full patience. There are two differences: a strong team and team where "guys worked"," Latvian head coach Leonid Tambiyev said.