Russian goalie Alexander Pechurski played his first game on Saturday and he was named 3rd star of the match thanks to his 12 saves in 35 minutes. In an interview with Russian website allhockey.ru he talked about his eventful weekend and his NHL experience.
RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation.
Russian goalie Alexander Pechurski of the Pittsburgh Penguins played his first NHL match against the Vancouver Canucks at General Motors Place on January 16th. The young goalie played a WHL regular season clash on friday night and then he has been signed by the Pens to a one-game amateur try out after their starting goalie Marc-Andre Fleury suffered from a broken finger and was forced out of the game.
Pechursky had to play in Fleury's pads as the ones he wears in Tri-City don't meet NHL regulations. But even if he didn't use his own equipment, had to travel a lot and played in back-to-back games he showed that he is a NHL-bound player as he stopped 12 shots and has been named the match's third star even if the Penguins lost to the Vancouver Canucks 6-2.
The Magnitogorsk, Russia, native has been iced in the second period with the Pens down 1-5. He allowed only one goal in the thirtheen shots he faced.
On December 25th, Russian national junior team head coach Vladimir Plyuschev named the final roster for the World Junior Championships. He took some drastic decisions as he decided not to call goalkeeper Alexander Pechursky, defenseman Kirill Yuriev, forwards Mikhail Fisenko and Dmitry Kugryshev.
This is how the final roster looks like:
Goalkeepers
Igor Bobkov, Metallurg Magnitogorsk, 1991
Ramis Sadikov, Erie Otters, OHL, 1991
Defensemen
Anton Klementyev, Bridgeport Sound Tigers, AHL, 1990
Dmitry Orlov, Metallurg Novokuznetsk, 1991
Maxim Chudinov, Severstal Cherepovets, 1990
Dmitry Kostromitin, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, QMJHL, 1990
Nikita Zaitsev, Sibir Novosibirsk, 1991
Nikita Pivtsakin, Avangard Omsk, 1991
Alexander Tarasov, HC MVD, 1990
Forwards
Nikita Filatov, CSKA Moscow, 1990
Alexander Burmistrov, Barrie Colts, OHL, 1991
Vladimir Tarasenko, Sibir Novosibirsk, 1991
Pavel Dedunov, Amur Khabarovsk, 1990
Ivan Telegin, Saginaw Spirit, OHL, 1992
Maxim Kitsyn, Metallurg Novokuznetsk, 1991
Maxim Trunev, Severstal Cherepovets, 1990
Evgeny Kuznetsov, Traktor Chelyabinsk, 1992
Evgeny Timkin, Avangard Omsk, 1990
Vyacheslav Kulemin, CSKA Moscow, 1990
Kirill Petrov, Ak Bars Kazan, 1990
Magomed Gimbatov, SKA St. Petersburg, 1990
Petr Khokhryakov, Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk, 1990
Team Russia's first match will be played on Boxing Day against Team Austria.
19 years old Alexander Pechursky decided to report to North America as he's going to play for the Tri-City Americans of the Western Hockey League, according to allhockey.ru. Pechursky has been drafted by the US team in this spring's Import Draft with the 55th overall pick.
Let's remember that Pechursky has been drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins during the fifth round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.
Pechursky, who won a gold medal at the 2007 Under 18 WJC, has played only one match with Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL this year, and had a short stint in the MHL. Recently the club signed national team goalie Vasiliy Koshechkin and thus he lost his backup role. On top of that he'll represent Russia at the upcoming World Junior Championships.
The roster for the World Junior Championships has been released today by head coach Vladimir Plyuschev and Russian Hockey Federation. Just as usual it looks like that the team's strongest area will be the offensive front, with many high quality forwards. The defense looks a bit thin and there isn't a clear starting goaltender. The team's leader will be Nikita Filatov.
After Dynamo's goalie Alexander Zalivin suffered from a heavy arm injury during a training session at the WJC preparation camp in Novogorsk, Russian National Junior Team head coach Vladimir Plyuschev decided to replace him with Pens' prospect, 19 years old Alexander Pechursky. He will join the team on Friday.
The young goalie played with U-20 National team two tournaments this season, the first one, in Finland, as starting goalie, where he allowed eight goals in three games. He also played one KHL match with Metallurg Magnitogorsk.
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