Russian power play

30 Dec 2011 | Roman Solovyev

Russia scored 14 goals, Yevgeny Kuznetsov shines in the third Russian game at WJC, young goalie Andrei Vasilevsky earned a second straight shutout and Mikhail Grigorenko can miss the rest of championship.

The Latvian team began the game better with several opportunities to beat Vasilevsky in first minutes. The Russians answered with a game action where Ivan Telegin after a nice pass from Alexander Khokhlachyov can’t overplay Latvian goalie Elvis Merzlikins who played his first game at the WJC. Mikhail Grigorenko opened the scoring at 10:29 with a play on the rebound after Nikita Kucherov's shot.

Artyom Sergeyev in the first minute of the second with a blue line shot made it 2-0. Latviann defenseman Arturs Salija sent Mikhail Grigorenko to the locker room after a rush hit. Then Ildar Isangulov and Viktor Antipin gave the Latvians a chance to play 5-on-3 play, but they can’t unlock the Russian defense. With two nice power-plays Russian doubled the score to 4-0. Both time Russian captain Yevgeny Kuznetsov scored; the first time after nice passes from Antipin and Yakupov and then with a high shot from a sharp angle at 10:04. It was the first Kuznetsov points there. After scoring twice Kuznetsov became a playmaker assisting his partners. Three minutes later Kuznetsov assisted to Grigory Zheldakov who also counted his first points at WJC. At 15:08 Nikita Gusev made it 6-0; Kuznetsov again dished a nice pass. With 1:26 remaining in the second Kuznetsov won a faceoff Kucherov set up a pass to Gusev who made a double. Kuznetsov earned 5 (2+3) points Gusev 4 (2+2) points in the second to give Russia a huge lead over Latvia.

In the third Russian went on playing this way. Pavel Kulikov, Alexander Khokhlachyov twice, Yevgeny Kuznetsov's third goal of the night, Ignat Zemchenko, Yaroslav Kosov, Nikita Nesterov increased Russian lead to 14 goals. Kuznetsov for 17 minutes jumped to the top of the scoring leaders after earning 0 points for the 7 periods at WJC. Kuznetsov earned 9 (3+6) points this night and was close to Peter Forsberg's record, who has 10 (3+7) points in one game at WJC.

"I didn't know [about Forsberg's record], but I was told about it during the game," said Kuznetsov to IIHF.com. "I thought the coach was joking – I wasn't expecting to be a point shy. At the end, I was kidding with the coach and asking him to put me in."

Andrei Vasilevsky made a second straight shutout stopping 30 shots from the Latvians.

"He's a young guy, and it's great for us," Khokhlachyov said about the 17-year-old goalie to IIHF.com. "When we came here, there were some questions about our goaltending. Two shutouts is great."

The real WJC for Russia starts on New Year night when they will face Sweden team.

"Latvia is not so good as Slovakia and Switzerland. I am satisfied that our game and team chemistry became better and better," Russia head coach Valery Bragin said to RIA-Novosti.