Team Russia holds off Team Czech Republic
Artemi Panarin, Nikita Kucherov score in pretournament game
© Joosep Martinson/Getty Images
Artemi Panarin, Nikita Kucherov and Evgeny Dadonov each had a goal and an assist for Team Russia. Vladimir Tarasenko scored, and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 29 saves.
Michal Kempny, Martin Hanzal and Tomas Plekanec scored for Team Czech Republic.
Each team was playing its first pretournament game to prepare for the World Cup, which begins on Sept. 17 in Toronto.
The line of Panarin, Vadim Shipachyov (two assists) and Dadonov, which thrived together in the Kontinental Hockey League before Panarin joined the Chicago Blackhawks last season, combined for six points.
"Overall, we liked the game," Team Russia coach Oleg Znarok said. "It was a very speedy one. … The first period we liked most of all in terms of our playing according to the system that we want."
Team Czech Republic took a 1-0 lead on Kempny's left point shot that beat Bobrovsky to the short side 3:54 into the first period. Panarin tied the game 1-1 with 1:31 remaining with a wrist shot from the right circle into the top left corner.
Tarasenko gave Team Russia a 2-1 lead with a power-play goal 5:22 into the second period on a wrist shot from right circle. Kucherov made it 3-1 at 8:38 by scoring on a rebound of Alexey Marchenko's left-point shot that caromed off the left post.
Team Czech Republic made it 3-2 with a power-play goal 6:48 into the third period when Hanzal's attempted centering pass went in off Marchenko's left leg. Dadonov put Team Russia ahead 4-2 two minutes later by finishing Panarin's cross-ice feed with a right circle one-timer.
Plekanec's deflection with 2:47 remaining made it 4-3.
Goal of the game: After Hanzal made it 3-2, Dadonov answered on a 3-on-2 rush with Panarin and Shipachyov. Panarin passed across to Dadonov, who went down to one knee one-timing the puck past goaltender Petr Mrazek.
Save of the game: With Team Russia holding a 4-3 lead and 1:07 remaining in the third period, Bobrovsky slid to his left to make a left-toe save on Plekanec on a 2-on-1 rush with Jakub Voracek.
Unsung moment of the game: Team Russia was on the power play with the score tied 1-1 in the second period when it appeared Team Czech Republic forward Michal Birner was going to chase down a loose puck for a quality scoring chance. Alex Ovechkin raced back in time to give Birner a shove that limited him to a weak shot from the left circle.
Highlight of the game: It was only a pretournament game, but the emotions were evident during a battle in front of the Team Russia net between Voracek and defenseman Dmitry Orlov 7:42 into the first period. The two exchanged some gloved shoves and nearly fought before being separated. Each received two minutes for roughing.
They said it
"It was the first game of the [pretournament], so it was a little bit tough, but I thought the team played well and got the win. We stuck to what the coach told us to do and the structure. They got a couple of lucky goals, but other than that I thought we played well." -- Team Russia forward Vladislav Namestnikov
"We played well and the fans created good atmosphere. Sure, we don't have a lot of game practice, but today we worked." -- Team Russia center Pavel Datsyuk
"I think it was an OK game because it was the first game. Some people were maybe nervous and we only had three practices together, so it's always tough to get some tactics and some system into our heads, but I think we were OK for the first game and, hopefully, we can play better. -- Team Czech Republic center Martin Hanzal
"We expected it was going to be a hard, tough game and it was. We made some mistakes that cost us, but there [are] things we did well and we want to build on that. We started well, but I thought we could have done a better job on the [defensive-]zone coverage." -- Team Czech Republic captain Tomas Plekanec
Need to know
Team Russia was 1-for-5 on the power play. Team Czech Republic was 1-for-4. … Team Czech Republic outshot Team Russia 14-5 in the third period and 32-28 for the game. … Team Czech Republic won 62 percent of its faceoffs, going 42-26. Defenseman Alexei Emelin and forward Artem Anisimov were scratched for Team Russia, but Znarok said they will play Saturday in Prague. … Mrazek made 24 saves. … Defenseman Tomas Kundratek and forward Roman Cervenka sat out for Team Czech Republic.
What's next
Team Russia: Another pretournament game Saturday against Team Czech Republic at O2 Arena in Prague (10:30 a.m. ET; ESPN3, SN360, TVA Sports).
Team Czech Republic: Another pretournament game Saturday against Team Russia at O2 Arena in Prague (10:30 a.m. ET; ESPN3, SN360, TVA Sports).
