Russian Prospects Profiles, Reports and News

After the defeat against Team Sweden in the 2010 U18 WJC semifinals, Team Russia lost the third place to Finland losing the bronze medal game 5-1.

Team Finland got the lead only during the second period with a goal by Teemu Pulkkinen, then in the third period they scored four unanswered goals (with Pulkkinen getting the hat trick) to get a five goals lead.

Team Russia lost the nerves and at the 57th minute a fight broke out and six players were sent off, three for Finland, Hovinen, Partanen and Moisio, while for Russia Nikita Nesterov, Zakhar Arzamastsev and Maxim Shalunov.

On the 58th minute team Russia scored the consolation goal with Emil Galimov.

"I have no claims toward players", declared team Russia's head coach Mikhail Vasiliev, who once again iced 15-years old Andrei Vasilevski between the pipes.

Team USA won their second straight Gold Medal after defeating Team Sweden 3-1 in the April 23rd final. Team Russia captain Evgeny Kuznetsov has been included into the tournament's All-Star team.

In the 2010 U18 WJC's fourth game Team Russia defeated Team Slovakia 3-1. Thanks to this result Vasiliev's team clinched the second spot in the Group B standings and will face Team Switzerland in the quarterfinals.

Team Russia scored all three goals with defensemen and interestingly all the game's goals have been scored in the first period. Team Russia got the early lead on the first shift with 93-born blue liner Nikita Nesterov. After five minutes third line defenseman Efim Gurkin made it a 2-0 game for Russia. At the fifteenth minute Tomas Matousek cut down Russia's lead by one goal, but less than three minutes later Efim Gurkin scored again and restored Russia's two-goal lead.

In the second and third period Team Russia controlled the game. Goalie Sergei Kostenko finished the game with 19 saves. Team Russia's next game will be played on Tuesday, as said, against Switzerland. Just like at the U20 WJC. The winner will face Team Sweden on Wednesday.

In the third match of the 2010 U18 WJC Team Russia lost to Finland 4-5. Markus Granlund opened the score after less than two minutes in the first period, but Emil Galimov made it an 1-1 game just before the first horn.

In the second period Finland got a quick two goals lead thanks to two goals by Teemu Pullkinen. After Finland's third goal, head coach Mikhail Vasiliev swapped goalie Sergei Kostenko for Andrei Vasilevski.

In the third period Russia tried hard to get back on track and it paid off when captain Evgeny Kuznetsov cut down the opponents' lead spoiling a mistake by a defenseman midway through the latest stanza. Two minutes later center Vladislav Namestnikov scored the game tying goal. But it didn't last long as Makinen scored another goal that allowed the Finns to go ahead. Later on Vasiliev called the goalie on the bench, but Finland scored the 5-3 on the empty net with Asten. Russia added another goal at the 59th minute with Sergei Barbashev, but it was too late and the game thus ended 5-4.

Team Russia's next match will be played on Sunday against Slovakia.

In the second day of the 2010 U18 WJC Team Russia faced Team Latvia and easily beaten them with a score of 9-0. Head Coach Mikhail Vasiliev decided to give Sergei Kostenko a rest and thus 94-born Andrei Vasilevski started between the pipes.

In the first period team Russia got the early lead with young defenseman Nikita Nesterov during a powerplay. Two minutes later, at the seventh minute, Vladislav Namestnikov gave team Russia a two goals lead.

In the second period team Russia pushed the gas and scored four unanswered goals. Team Russia's captain Evgeny Kuznetsov made it a 3-0 game, then Namestnikov added other two goals to complete his hat-trick. After the fifth goal Latvia changed the goalie and iced Kristers Gudlevskis, but after seven minutes Grigori Zheldakov scored once again to put Russia up by six goals. Namestnikov assisted this powerplay goal.

On the third period Kuznetsov scored other two goals and got a hat-trick too giving Russia a 8-0 lead. 93-born Maxim Shalunov at the fifty-seventh scored the ninth goal of the game.

Vasilievski finished the match with 18 saves.

Team Russia won its 2010 U18 WJC inaugural match against Czech Republic with a comfortable 4-1 score. Sergei Barbashev opened the score after Vasiliev's team killed a penalty whistled against Roman Berdnikov. On the last minutes of the first period team Russia had a powerplay, but they weren't able to score.

Midway through the second period 93-born Maxim Shalunov doubled the score for Team Russia, but Michal Vacovek made it a 1-2 game at the thirty-ninth minute of play.

In the third period defenseman Viktor Antipin restored team Russia's two goal lead during a double powerplay, then center Vladislav Namestnikov sealed the deal with a goal at the fifty-seventh minute.

Team Russia's star of the tournament is supposed to be Evgeny Kuznetsov (pictured), who got an injury during the second period. Sergei Kostenko of Metallurg Novokuznetsk was the starting goalkeeper and finished the game with 14 saves.

On the other today's games, Switzerland surprised Canada 3-1, Finland defeated Latvia 7-2 and the USA lost to Sweden 2-4. Team Russia's next game will be tomorrow against Latvia and then on Friday against Team Finland.

Kirill Petrov of Ak Bars Kazan was invited to New York Islanders' rookie camp. The 20 years old player will most likely leave the KHL this summer and will report to North America, according to Petrov's agent Vyacheslav Makhrensky.

Petrov was U20 team Russia's top scorer at the latest WJC. He's got little chances with Ak Bars this year and he has been demoted down to Kazan's affiliates in the Russian First League, Neftyanik Almetievsk. In the KHL he played only eight regular season games, without getting any point.

After the reported interest in Evgeny Bodrov, the Philadelphia Flyers seems to be going after young goalie Sergei Bobrovsky of Metallurg Novokuznetsk, as per Sport-Express.

Bobrovsky, 21, spent his entire career with Metallurg Novokuznetsk and is the team's starter goalie for the past three seasons and he always had a saves percentage of more than .900. Playing for one of the weakest KHL teams he faced every night a good amount of shots and showed that he can deal well with pressure.

In his career Bobrovsky represented Russia at the 2008 WJC and at the 2007 Super Series against Canada. His contract will run out in April and the Flyers will have to work hard to secure him as surely most of the top KHL teams are going to offer him good deals. SKA St. Petersburg were among them.

Evgeny Bodrov of the Ak Bars Kazan might be under the radar of the Philadelphia Flyers, as reported by Tatar-Inform. The Flyers signed Evgeny's brother, Denis Bodrov, on the last January.

Bodrov started the season with Lada Togliatti, then was traded to the Ak Bars Kazan when the season was still young. He scored a total of 25 points this season, with eight goals and 17 assists. He won the bronze medal at 2008 WJC.

He is a center who plays hard and is good on the face-off dots. He has a very good technique and stickhandling, as well as good skating abilities. He plays with poise. Bodrov's contract is set to expire in April 2011.

Andrei Nazarov, head coach of the Traktor Chelyabinsk of the KHL, invited Vyacheslav Voinov and Evgeni Dadonov to get back to their mother club during an interview with Sport-Express.

Andrei Nazarov: "Both Evgeni Dadonov and Vyacheslav Voinov have a valid contract with Traktor and, according to KHL rules, we hold rights on them. I was really upset when they left for North America and didn't get an NHL spot. We had the chance to get them back through the court's decision, but we decided not to harm the players' careers. But now there is such a scenario in which it would be better for them and for their development to get back to Traktor in the KHL."

- Did you already talk to them?
Andrei Nazarov: "It's all up to the players' wish. Dadonov would be capable of scoring more than 20 goals a season in the KHL, just like our team's top scorers Evgeny Skachkov and Oleg Kvasha. I see both Voinov and Dadonov as key members of Traktor."

All quotes translated by RussianHockeyFans.com

Denis Chaltsev and Timofey Tankeev might be two names that we will hear again in the future. The two guys from Moscow are posting impressive stats for the St. Louis Jr. Blues of the Central States Hockey League, as reported in my article appeared on the St. Louis Globe Democrat.

Denis Chaltsev has posted a 17-1 record with four shutouts, a 1.50 goals against average and a .944 save percentage. Timofey Tankeev has had a terrific offensive season. In 43 games, Tankeev has scored 25 goals and added 43 assists for 68 points.

Denis Chaltsev: "Due to the different rink size the play here is faster and tougher. There are many dangerous shots and lots of bounces. In Russia there is more emphasis on passing play and players' technique. Now I try to combine Russian hockey school with American speed."

Tankeev's position is similar.

Timofey Tankeev: "Hockey here is a bit faster and tougher," he said. "You have to take a decision twice as fast as in Russia. You can't get your head down even for one second, or someone will give you a good lesson."

Read the full story here

Alexander Avtsin is without a doubt one of the highest touted prospects from Russia. Unfortunately he is not playing now because of a hand injury, and will come back most likely only in one month.

In this interview with Olga Alexandrova, appeared on the official Dynamo Moscow's site, Avtsin explained why he decided to remain in Russia for this season, discussed his own current season's performances and he also told how he met his girlfriend Milana.

RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation.

Vladimir Tarasenko, one of the top Russian players eligible for the upcoming 2010 NHL Entry Draft, confirmed that he is under contract for the 2010/11 season.

RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation of the most interesting quotes from an interview recently appeared on Sibir Novosibirsk's official site.

Vladimir, let's talk again about the recent WJC. There was a lot of speculation about the conflict between the team's head coach, Vladimir Plyuschev, and the team's captain, Nikita Filatov. If there is no team then there can't either be results. Do you agree?
Vladimir Tarasenko: Yes, there was no team spirit. We couldn't work as a true team and I don't know who's to blame. But there are also other reasons. Team USA played together the whole year, they skated in some tournaments together. This might have had an impact over the tournament.

Is your contract with Sibir valid also for the following season?
Vladimir Tarasenko: Yes, it is. But this is not the only reason. I think I should continue my career with Sibir also because of the human conditions. There are a lot of people that really helped me. First of all - my family.