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Alexei Kovalev and the Russians will have to conquer the defending Olympic champs in the quarterfinals if they hope to medal.
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Russia gets Canada early
By Rich Libero | NHL.com
Feb. 21, 2006
TORINO, Italy - Alexander Ovechkin will do
anything to score goals and win hockey games. He will
shoot while flying through air and he'll crush an
opponent with an open-ice hit.
In the second period Tuesday night against Team USA,
Ovechkin came face-to-face with American captain Chris
Chelios behind the American net -- and left him on his
back. The hit was clean, planting what looked like the
top of his shoulder pad squarely into Chelios' face.
"It doesn't matter if it's Chelios," Ovechkin said.
"You're representing your country and it doesn't
matter who it would be in the way. You have to try
your best."
This is what Canada has drawn in the quarterfinals of
these Olympics: A dynamic, talented and ferocious
Russian team that could pose a serious threat to
Canada's gold medal defense.
"It will be the biggest game of my life," Ovechkin
said. "The biggest game."
The Russians put their talents on display at the
Palasport Olimpico Tuesday night, besting a game
American squad in a wild 5-4 match. The Russians
demonstrated their skill, physicality and penchant for
scoring clutch goals, including two shorthanders in
the first period.
"It's going to be a lot of fun," Atlanta's Ilya
Kovlchuk said. "We've got a lot of young guys who are
looking forward to playing Canada and if you're going
to win, you have to beat them anyway."
There is something different about this Russian team
from the one that performed in Salt Lake. That team
appeared to be distracted and quite North American in
terms of style, still they managed to cop a bronze
medal.
This year's model plays with a joy and passion that
comes clearly from young players like Kovalchuk,
Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin (who scored a goal and two
assists vs. Team USA) and Fedor Tyutin. But they are
not so much reigned in as shaped into the team's
system.
"The skill and power don't mean anything. The team has
to have heart and you need everyone believing that
they can win," Russian captain Alexei Kovalev said.
"And that's the only way we're going to win."
Goaltender Evgeni Nabokov agreed: "We can't forget
about discipline and team work ethic."
The injection of youth has taken this Russian team
back in time. They have returned to a flowing,
artistic style that fits more with the old Soviet "Big
Red Machine" of the 1970's and 80's.
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The Russians resemble the "Big Red Machine" teams of the 1970's and 80's.
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The difference is that this team has more bite to it
and more freedom of expression. When Ovechkin scored a
goal in the third period he blew kisses. That's not
something you'd have seen from Vladimir Krutov, Igor
Larionov and Sergei Makarov. Heck, people were lucky if
they actually raised their arms after a goal.
But in between all that, the old Soviet team could
flow and make art, which is something that wasn't
expected from the concrete-tower-blocks of the old
Soviet Union.
"The way the Russian team played with skating and
making a lot of plays, that's what we're trying to
bring back," Kovalev said.
And so, the stage is set for a classic quarterfinal
matchup between Canada and Russia, two teams that are
used to facing each other much later in a tournament. But
the stakes are just as high. The loser goes home.
"That's the nature of sports," Nabokov said.
"I know every time these countries meet it is a battle
and it will be a war," New Jersey's Viktor Kozlov
said. "That is the way it has been in the past and I
do not expect anything different."
Mistakes will be a factor. Of the Russians and
Canadians, each has demonstrated flaws and weaknesses.
Errors will be magnified and probably costly. But the
Russians are going into this game with nothing to lose
while Canada carries the weight of their nation's
expectations.
"Every game from now on is a final," Kovalev said.
"There will be lots of blocked shots, bodies on the
line. I think that both teams will probably play more
defensive hockey."
And somehow that will turn out to be entertaining.
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