Vancouver 2010 Olympics Results, News, Standings

Russian star Evgeni Malkin gave an interview to Vasili Osipov of Sport-Express after the game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the New York Rangers at the Madison Square Garden.
In this interview Evgeni talked about the reasons of Team Russia's defeat to Canada at the latest Olympic Tournament, examined the differences between the management of the two national teams and tried to suggest some changes to get the revenge in Sochi.

RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation of the interview.

The 2010 Olympic Hockey Tournament has probably been the biggest disappointing ever for Team Russia. The early quarterfinal elimination against Team Canada was the worst result ever.

As soon as the tournament was over for Russia, we published the Top 5 reasons for this fail, now RussianHockeyFans.com judged all the players on the roster.

With the early quarterfinals exit, Team Russia set a new negative record as this was the worse Olympic outcome in their history. Since the first participation, 1956 Olympics in Cortina, Italy, Russia never had such a poor result.

Team Russia's roster was, on paper, the tournament's finest, but they couldn't live up to the expectations, even in the round robin, which Bykov's team ended with two wins and one loss, which determined the pairing with Canada.

RussianHockeyFans.com offers you top five reasons why Russia failed at 2010 Olympics.

Team Russia coach, Vyacheslav Bykov, gave an interview to Sovetskiy Sport where he talked about the quarterfinal game between Russia and Canada.

RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation.

Bykov: "I would like to congratulate Canada with this victory. Unfortunately, the Olympic Games are over for us. I would like apologize to our fans. Today we faced a very strong team. We couldn't get out of their pressure since the very beginning. It was really hard. We tried different variants to change the game and move it to the opponent's zone, but we failed. Canada demonstrated very interesting hockey. It was a pleasure to watch them, and I can't say the same about our team."

- Maybe the reason of the loss is that the Russian players visited some parties recently?

Team Russia lost 7-3 to Team Canada in the 2010 Olympic Tournament's quarterfinal.

A goal by Ryan Getzlaf gave the Canadians an early lead. Team Russia didn't use a powerplay chance and Dan Boyle made it a 2-0 game at the twelfth. Rick Nash scored the 3-0 goal some seconds later with a quick counterattack.

But the Russians didn't give up and with a blue line shot by Dmitriy Kalinin cut down Canada's lead after fourteen minutes.

After a good scoring chance wasted by Ilya Kovalchuk, Brendan Morrow restore Team Canada's three-goal lead with less than two minutes to go in the first period.

In the second period Canada scored two quick goals with Corey Perry and Shea Weber, and Bykov decided to bench Nabokov in favor of Ilya Bryzgalov.

Not much later Maxim Afinogenov with a nice shot scored the second goal of the game for the Russians, but midway through the game Corey Perry scored again after a neutral zone error by Sergei Zinoviev.

Russia added one goal to the count with a blue line slapshot by Sergei Gonchar to finish the second period 7-3.

In the third period team Russia tried hard and got a big chance with Evgeni Malkin, but they didn't manage to shift the momentum.

With this win Canada advances to the semifinals, where they will face Slovakia.

Team Russia's general manager at the Olympic Games, Vladislav Tretiak, gave an interview to Vitaliy Slavin of SovSport. Tretiak talked about the canceled practice on Monday, seriousness of Sergei Zinoviev's injury and the players' thoughts on a possible Russia-Canada quarterfinal.

RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation.

- Why did you cancel a practice on Monday?
Tretiak: "The coaches decided to give the players time to recover. The ice practice was optional and nobody wanted to skate. Everyone went to the gym and rode bikes. By the way, we are not the only team to cancel a practice. The Americans and Swedes also did it."

After the 4-2 victory against Czech Republic many players agreed that the Ovechkin hit on Jagr turned the momentum in Russia's favor. Team Russia players felt that this was the key event of the game and it helped their team getting the edge over Czech Republic.

RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation of short quotes taken right after the game from Sergei Gonchar, Ilya Kovalchuk, Evgeny Nabokov, Alexander Ovechkin and Anton Volchenkov.

Team Russia forward Alexander Ovechkin commented on his hit on Jaromir Jagr of the Czech Republic in a game between Russia and Czech Republic at the Olympic Games 2010 in Vancouver.

"I see him coming and my first reaction was to play the puck," Ovechkin said to NHL.com . "He made a move to my side and I just hit him."

Alexander Ovechkin switched the moment in favor of Russia with a bone crushing, open ice hit on Jaromir Jagr in the first few minutes of the final stanza. The puck then ended up on Alexander Semin's stick, who served Evgeni Malkin with a great cross ice pass. Malkin one-timed the puck in for the game winning goal in Russia's 4-2 win over Czech Republic.

Ovechkin told Russian site sports.ru, "I hit Jagr automatically. I'm happy that we managed to score a few seconds later. We hugged each other after the game. Jagr bears no grudge at me. This is hockey, this is the Olympics, anything can happen here."

After the game Jagr told SovSport, "I wish I had a concussion, I would forget Ovechkin sooner. I don't think the hit was legal."

Jagr, quoted by Craig Custance of SportingNews.com, acted like a true teamplayer, not looking for excuses after losing the puck to Russia in the neutral zone. "The hit I don't really care, the mistake, the turnover I made...that hurts. That hurt me the most."

Kovalchuk, quoted by Craig Custance, added: "That's a great hit. It's a clean hit... It was a big moment for us."

Video of Ovechkin's hit on Jagr.

In the round robin's last game Team Russia defeated Team Czech Republic 4-2 and got a bye to the quarterfinals as they finished the Group B on the top of the standings with seven points against Czech Republic's six, Slovakia's five and Latvia's zero. Team Russia's first game of the medal round is scheduled for wednesday.

During the first period of the game the teams are still 0-0. Alexander Ovechkin had a couple of good chances, but Tomas Vokoun saved both attempts. Later on the Russians wasted a powerplay opportunity.

At the fifteenth minute Evgeni Malkin scored the 1-0 goal for Russia tapping in a rebound after a shot from the point by Sergei Gonchar.

At the end of the first period the Czechs tied it up with Tomas Plekanec taking full advantage of a double powerplay.

Team Russia's opponent in the third round robin match of the 2010 Olympic Tournament will be team Czech Republic. The Czechs, lead by the evergreen Jaromir Jagr, feature a very good lineup with plenty of NHL caliber players.

Russia has to skate past Czech Republic in order to secure the first seed in the Group B and get a bye into the quarterfinals. The Czechs are on the top of the standings with six points in two games. The Slovaks follow with five points, but they played three games.

Team Russia will try hard to put the 1-2 defeat against Slovakia in the past. "It's always tough to lose, but it's good to have it happen now in the tournament," Alexander Ovechkin told espn.com.

Most likely team Russia's lineup will undergo many changes. Vyacheslav Bykov will swap Evgeni Malkin and Pavel Datsyuk. "We try different combinations", said Bykov to sportbox.ru, "so that it would be possible to vary the lines if necessary."

With this changes Ovechkin and Malkin will be paired together. "I think that now in our line there will be more speed and physical play", Ovechkin told Sovietskiy Sport. "We have to play our game and try not to do too much, or we won't be successfull."

Evgeny Nabokov is going to get another start after the first win over Latvia, while Sergei Fedorov is going to play after missing a practice.

The puck is going to be dropped at the local 12 AM.

Ilya Kovalchuk talked about the bad powerplay of team Russia in the 2010 Olympic Hockey Tournament, the changes that the team will undergo for the next game against Czech Republic and his ice time in an interview to the Russian newspaper Sovietskiy Sport.

RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation.

Here is the latest news from the Russian team at the Olympic Games 2010 in Vancouver.

Evgeny Nabokov will start in the game against the Czech Republic
Igor Zakharkin, Russian coach to Pavel Lysenkov of SovSport: "We think that with Nabokov in the net our players feel more confident."

Sergei Fedorov missed a practice
Zakharkin: "Fedorov has an individual program. But he's alright, there is no injury."

New lines in the game against the Czech Republic
Zakharkin: "Maybe we are going to switch the center forwards. We think that Kovalchuk's efficiency should be higher. We remember what chemistry Malkin and Kovalchuk had at the World Championship 2008, but two years have passed and they are different players now, their styles changed too. There is a bit of imbalance on the Kovalchuk-Malkin-Afinogenov line. We hope to fix it."

Russian coach Vyacheslav Bykov talked about the reasons of the loss to Slovakia, stated that not all players had passion, explained why Alexander Ovechkin had three shootout attempts and talked about power play units in an interview to the Russian site gazeta.ru.

RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation.

- Do you agree that only the Zaripov-Zinoviev-Morozov line displayed some teamwork?
Bykov: "You are not far from being right. We will try and find out why it happened. I don't think that our players didn't want it. It's just that the opponent didn't give us many opportunities. But I also should notice that a lot of players lacked passion and thirst for game. At the same time I agree that it wasn't our day."

A shootout goal by Pavol Demitra gave Slovakia the edge over Team Russia in the Olympic Hockey tournament's round robin. In the Group B standings Russia retains the lead with 4 points, but with one game more than Czech Republic, who beaten team Slovakia yesterday.

Bykov's team had some chances at the start, especially with a shot from the high slot by Alexander Ovechkin, but Jaroslav Halak saved all the 10 opponents' attempts. 8 saves so far for Ilya Bryzgalov.

In the second period Alexei Morozov scored the 1-0 goal with a good one time from the right circle after another bad powerplay show by Team Russia. Bykov's team controlled most of the play in the middle stanza and got twice near to the second goalie, first with Maxim Afinogenov, then with a great rush by Evgeni Malkin, but Halak was ready in both plays. Team Slovakia had some chances too, but Bryzgalov has been steady and kept Russia up by one goal.

On Tuesday night Team Russia will play its second match in the 2010 Olympic Hockey Tournament. After the 8-2 win over Latvia in the inaugural match, Team Russia's opponents will be Team Slovakia.

Team Russia's starter is going to be Ilya Bryzgalov.

Slovakia's goaltender will be Montreal Canadiens' Jaroslav Halak. "He is a very technique sound goaltender", said Evgeni Malkin. "He also has a good stickhandling. You need to shot a lot against him. We have to take the initiative and concede no rooms to our opponents."

Vyacheslav Bykov has also decided to try powerplay special team and in the latest practice he iced Alexander Ovechkin, Malkin, Alexander Semin, Ilya Kovalchuk and Sergei Gonchar in the same unit.

Pavel Datsyuk didn't train with the team, spent time in the gym instead.

"Team Russia is one of the best teams in this tournament", Slovak superstar Marian Gaborik declared. "Its lineup has plenty of stars. We will need to stay focus on defense and stay off bad penalties."

The puck is going to be dropped at the local 9PM.

It seems like the food they serve in the Olympic village in Vancouver is really bad.

First it were Alexei Morozov and Semyon Varlamov who complained about the food in the village. According to Morozov the players had to eat in McDonald's. He also said that with food like this they would "turn up their toes".

Then it was Ilya Bryzgalov who called the food "terrible".

Now it's Team Russia coach Igor Zakharkin who calls Russian officials for help.

"We can't stand it anymore. It is time for our officials to step in. Our players can't recover eating the food they serve in the village. It's not tasty and low in calories. It's some semi prepared foods! We don't want it to have an impact on our team", said Zakharkin to Vitaliy Slavin of Sovetskiy Sport.

Russia got an easy win in the first game of the 2010 Olympics against Latvia. Team Russia didn't look overly impressive, most likely saving some energy for the games against better opponents. Alexander Ovechkin and Danis Zaripov scored two goals each in team Russia's 8-2 win.

KHL players got the first two goals of the match. Danis Zaripov opened the score after a couple of minutes thanks a great pass by Sergei Fedorov, while Alexander Radulov made it a 2-0 game at 7:46. Alexander Ovechkin scored the third goal for Russia with only thirty seconds to go in the first period.

In the second period Russia relaxed and left little room to Lavtia. They scored only one goal, with Evgeni Malkin.

The third stanza has been more frenetic, at least on its start. Latvia stripped out Evgeny Nabokov of the shut out with a goal by Herberts Vasiljevs. After this goal Russia pushed the gas and got three quick goals, with Ovechkin, Zaripov and Ilya Kovalchuk. A quick shot by Gints Ankipans surprised Nabokov for the 7-2. Alexei Morozov scored the eight goal for Russia with just about one minute to play.

Evgeni Nabokov stopped 18 shots for Russia.

Team Russia's next match will be on February 18th against Team Slovakia.

Russian TV channel "Russia 2" is reporting that Evgeny Nabokov will be the starting goalie for Russia in tonight's game against Latvia at the Olympics.

Also it is said that Nabokov and Ilya Bryzgalov will be rotated after each game. It means that very likely Bryzgalov will start in the game against Slovakia on Feb. 18.

Semyon Varlamov is reported to sit in reserve and be the 3rd goalie.

The Olympic Hockey Tournament is about to start today. Team's Russia first game will be the clash against Latvia in the Group B. Group's other match between Slovakia and Czech Republic will be played tomorrow.

It's very hard to predict a win for team Latvia in this game and thus team Russia should take this one pretty easily, but probably not as easy as in the last Olympics, where Kovalchuk's four goals led the Krikunov-trained team to a 9-2 triumph.

The puck is going to be dropped at the local 9 PM.

Team Russia has chosen its captain and alternates at the Olympic Games 2010.

According to Russian newspaper Sovetskiy Sport, Alexei Morozov will be the captain, Alexander Ovechkin and Ilya Kovalchuk will be the alternates.

Alexei Morozov was the captain of the Russian team on two latest World Championships.

The Russian team practiced for the second time in Vancouver.

According to the Russian channel "Russia 2" the lines were:

Ovechkin - Datsyuk - Semin, Grebeshkov - Korneev.
Kovalchuk - Malkin - Afinogenov, Gonchar - Tyutin.
Zaripov - Zinoviev - Morozov, Markov - Nikulin.
Radulov - Fedorov - Kozlov, Kalinin - Volchenkov.

"I was sure that our line would look like that", said Evgeni Malkin to Russia 2. "I agree with the coaches, it's an optimal combination".

"I supposed that our line would look like that because we played together during the Olympic camp", Ilya Kovalcuk told Russia 2. "It is a good, interesting and dynamic line. I think if we try hard we can be very useful to the team."

Translation by RussianHockeyFans.com

Team Russia's coach Igor Zakharkin gave a few interviews where he stated that Alexander Ovechkin (Washington Capitals) and Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh Penguins) might play on the same line, and that goalkeepers Evgeny Nabokov (San Jose Sharks) and Ilya Bryzgalov (Phoenix Coyotes) will both play during the robin-round at the Olympic Games in Vancouver.

Zakharkin on Ovechkin-Malkin to olympics10.ru

- Is there a chance to see Ovechkin and Malkin playing on the same line?
Zakharkin: "Maybe not since the very beginning but somewhere in the middle of the game or during power plays. We will think about it. We are also taking into account the fact that quite often Ovechkin plays on the left wing for the Capitals."

Zakharkin on Nabokov-Bryzgalov to sport-express.ru

- How are you going to share ice time between Nabokov and Bryzgalov?
Zakharkin: "We are going to use both Nabokov and Bryzgalov during the round-robin. But I can't say who's going to play in certain games."

Translation by RussianHockeyFans.com

The captain of the Russian national team, Alexei Morozov, playing for Ak Bars Kazan in the KHL, will carry the Russian flag at the Olympics opening ceremony, says the official Russian Hockey Federation site.

"I'm very pleased to be entrusted with such an honor", said Morozov to Russian site sportbox.ru (translation by RussianHockeyFans.com). "Hundreds of sportsmen will represent Russia at the Olympics and I was entrusted with the flag, which increases responsibility. I won't say that I was shocked by this news but rather pleasantly surprised."

Morozov became the second KHL player to carry his national flag at the Olympics' opening ceremony after Avangard Omsk's Jaromir Jagr, who will be the standard-bearer for the Czech Republic.

The ceremony will take place on February 12.

Sergei Zubov, who spent 17 years in the NHL and decided to play in the KHL past summer, commented on his inclusion in the list of substitute players for the Olympics.

RussianHockeyFans offers you a translation of Zubov's interview to Sport-Express.

Sergei Zubov: "I've just been called by the national team's administrator and informed that I'd been included in the list of substitute players for the Olympic Games. Honestly, I didn't even know what to answer. This situation was really, really surprising.

Also I was astonished and I'd even say offended by the words of Vladislav Tretyak, the president of the Russia Hockey Federation, and the head coach Vyacheslav Bykov. They said something like that to make the team every player should do his best and that no one will be in the team for previous achievements. I was really disappointed by all these words. That's a complete humiliation of me as a person and a sportsman. I don't have to prove anything to anyone. I honestly earned my reputation in hockey. I'm not a 25-year-old guy. I proved by 17 seasons in the NHL that I play at high level. I'm not going to prove anything to anyone anymore!

If they found a spot for me among substitute players then I think its a spit in my face. I really wanted to play for the national team but, unfortunately, it won't happen. I want to tell the fans I'm sorry. I think they will understand me. I wish good luck to our guys in Vancouver."

Alexei Kovalev, Alexander Frolov, Sergei Zubov and Nikolai Kulemin are going to the Olympic Games in Vancouver as substitutes for the Russian team.

It is not officially announced yet but according to Russian site infox.ru Kovalev, Frolov, Zubov and Kulemin have received the Olympics equipment as well as other players from the official Team Russia roster. It means they are going to the Olympics in the status of substitute players.

Overall Russia will have 9 substitute players, three from the NHL and six from the KHL.

The list of Russian Olympics substitute players

NHL
1. Alexei Kovalev, Ottawa Senators
2. Alexander Frolov, Los Angeles Kings
3. Nikolai Kulemin, Toronto Maple Leafs

KHL
4. Vasiliy Koschechkin, Metallurg Magnitogorsk
5. Alexander Eremenko, Salavat Yulaev
6. Sergei Zubov, SKA St. Petersburg
7. Vitaliy Proshkin, Salavat Yulaev
8. Oleg Tverdovskiy, Salavat Yulaev
9. Alexei Tereschenko, Ak Bars

Read also:
Sergei Gonchar: "Would like to be paired with Andrei Markov at Olympics"
KHL player to carry Russian flag at Olympics opening ceremony

Russian defenceman Sergei Gonchar of the Pittsburgh Penguins, whose inclusion in Russia's Olympics roster came as no surprise, talked about playing on one line with Andrei Markov of the Canadiens at the Olympics in Vancouver, main rivals of Team Russia, compared the Stanley Cup and the Olympic Games and said that he expected European referees to give more penalties.

RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation of Gonchar's interview to Alexander Chekhov of Sport-Express.

The Vice President of the Russian Olympic Committee, Vladimir Vasin in an interview to Russian newspaper Sovetskiy Sport claimed that a KHL player will most likely carry the Russian flag at the Vancouver Olympics' opening ceremony.

Vasin: "The opening ceremony will take place on the 12th of February. Our hockey players will arrive in Vancouver one day before and will play only on the 16th, so it is quite logical to choose the standard-bearer from the hockey players. This player will be from the KHL."

Q. Maybe you should choose Sergei Fedorov, the most experienced player?
Vasin: "Why not."

9 out of 23 players in the Russian Team will represent the KHL, they are: defencemen Ilya Nikulin, Dmitriy Kalinin, Konstantin Korneev, forwards Sergei Fedorov, Danis Zaripov, Sergei Zinoviev, Alexander Radulov, Viktor Kozlov and Alexei Morozov.

Who do you think will carry the Russian flag?

The KHL is going to send 60 players to the upcoming 2010 Olympic Games. Latvia is topping the list with 17 players from the KHL, Belarus is 2nd with 14 and Russia is 3rd with 9 players. They only teams that don't have players from the KHL are Canada, the USA and Germany.

Among the players are Alexander Radulov, Viktor Kozlov and Sergei Fedorov for Russia, Jaromir Jagr, Petr Cajanek and Josef Vasicek for Czech Republic, Richard Zednik and Jozef Stumpel for Slovakia, as well as Mattias Weinhandl for Sweden and Martin Gerber for Switzerland.

The team that will send the most players is Dinamo Riga, with 16. Dynamo Minsk follows at 10, with Salavat Yulaev Ufa takes the third place in this classification sending seven players to Vancouver. The Olympic hockey tournament will start of February 16th, with the final match being scheduled for February 28th.

RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a breakdown of the KHL players at the next Olympics.

The official Russian Hockey Federation site has released Team Russia's roster for the Olympics in Vancouver.

Goalkeepers
Evgeni Nabokov, San Jose Sharks, NHL
Ilya Bryzgalov, Phoenix Coyotes, NHL
Semyon Varlamov, Washington Capitals, NHL

Defencemen
Andrei Markov, Montreal Canadiens, NHL
Ilya Nikulin, Ak Bars, KHL,
Dmitriy Kalinin, Salavat Yulaev, KHL
Konstantin Korneev, CSKA, KHL,
Denis Grebeshkov, Edmonton Oilers, NHL
Fedor Tyutin, Columbus Blue Jackets, NHL
Sergei Gonchar, Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL
Anton Volchenkov, Ottawa Senators, NHL

Forwards
Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings, NHL
Sergei Fedorov, Metallurg Magnitogorsk, KHL
Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL
Ilya Kovalchuk, Atlanta Thrashers, NHL
Maxim Afinogenov, Atlanta Thrashers, NHL
Danis Zaripov, Ak Bars, KHL
Alexander Semin, Washington Capitals, NHL
Sergei Zinoviev, Salavat Yulaev, KHL
Alexander Radulov, Salavat Yulaev, KHL
Viktor Kozlov, Salavat Yulaev, KHL
Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals, NHL
Alexei Morozov, Ak Bars, KHL

Russia's coaches Vyacheslav Bykov and Igor Zakharkin call this roster 'preliminary' and say that the final roster will be known on the 15th of February.

9 out of 23 players represent the KHL which makes its slightly less than 40%.

4 players come from Salavat Yulaev of the KHL, the team coached by Bykov and Zakharkin.

Team Russia head coach Vyacheslav Bykov in an interview to Sport-Express explained why he didn't invite Alexei Yashin to the national team.

Bykov: "Why didn't we include Yashin in our Olympics' candidate list? We need different energy from the one he displayed in the Eurotour, where he disappointed us. We have no conflicts with Alexei. I know that it made him feel bad but that's life."

Most likely Yashin won't play at the Olympics in Vancouver.

Translated by RussianHockeyFans.com

Russian forward Ilya Kovalchuk gave an interview to Russian site sportbox.ru where he talked about the Olympics in Vancouver.

RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation.

Q. How often do you think about the Olympic Games in Vancouver?
Kovalchuk: "Pretty often, but right now I'm focused on playing for the Thrashers. We got into a functional slump and now have to get out of it as soon as possible."

Team Russia head coach Vyacheslav Bykov had an interview with Sport-Express in which he discussed many things about the Olympics and the Russian national team.

RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation of the most important parts:

- I think that among the top teams only Finland has little pressure. The Americans will try hard to show that they aren't inferior to Canada and thus they'll do all the possible to disappoint their neighbors. Pressure on the Canadians is heavy, since they play at home and they got to the last two WC finals. It's heavy also on Sweden, because they the reigning Olympic champions. Czech Repubblic will have to deal with pressure too, they didn't manage to repeat their Nagano triumph and people still haven't forget it. People will demand a lot from us too. In this sense probably Team Finland can play more quitely. But everything depends not on the pressure itself, but on how you can deal with it.

-Would you call the silver medal a failure?
Absolutely. Anyone who goes to the Olympics want to get the Gold.

Russia's opponents in the preliminary round at the Olympic Games in Vancouver will be the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Latvia.

Games schedule:
Tuesday, 16 February. Russia - Latvia.
Thursday, 18 February. Slovakia - Russia.
Sunday, 21 February. Russia - Czech Republic.

Alexander Ovechkin gave an interview to Anna Nasekina of Sovetskiy Sport in Montreal where his Capitals faced the Canadiens. Ovechkin talked about being a caveman, not caring about what others think of him, the Olympics, girls, and a lot of other funny stuff.

RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation.

After stating that the Olympic starter should be Evgeny Nabokov, team Russia assistant coach Igor Zakharkin makes an u-turn and says that the first goalie will be known in February only.
Russian Hockey Fans offers you a translation of an interview with Sovietskiy Sport interview in with Zakharkin speaks about goalies' chances and about Ovechkin's need not to change his style.

In this interview with Sovietskiy Sport, Team Russia's assistant coach Igor Zakharkin stated that Evgeny Nabokov will most likely be the starting goalkeeper in Vancouver. He also indicated that they plan to reunite the famous ZZM (Zaripov, Zinoviev, Morozov) line.

- Did you have talks with Evgeny Nabokov and Ilya Bryzgalov? Did you talk with Evgeny Nabokov and Ilya Bryzgalov? Who of them will have to be a backup goalie and resign himself to this decision?
- There can't be two first goalies in a game and there is no doubt that Evgeny Nabokov should be the starter. He's a great goalkeeper with undeniable qualities. He excellently commands the defense. He’s a player with a winning soul who can turn up the team’s spirit. All this makes in my sight Evgeny Nabokov a first goalie.

Former Russian superstar Pavel Bure shared his view on the upcoming Olympic games in an interview with Chris Johnston of the Canadian Press. After scoring nine goals in the 98's edition, adding a bronze medal in Salt Lake City 2002 and serving as GM in Turin, he's going to simply sit on the stands for the 2010 Olympic Games.

I think [the Olympic tournament] is the best. All of the best superstars can go and participate, that’s why it’s really hard to win this tournament. All the teams are pretty even. You need a little bit (of) luck in this tournament and all the games are really important because you lose one game and you’re out. It’s really interesting for fans and it’s a great promotion for hockey in general around the globe.

[I'm doing] no predictions. There’s probably going to be like six or eight teams that can go all the way. Eight teams will be in the quarter-finals, anything can happen. There’s possibly going to be some huge upsets. You never know, that’s why it’s interesting.

You know you don’t have too many chances to go there. Maybe like once in a lifetime. You never know what’s going to happen in the future - maybe the NHL won’t let the players go to Olympic Games, that’s why it’s the opportunity of your life.

"The Russians will enter the tournament with the two best players in the world (or two of the top three, at worst, if you wish to include Sidney Crosby in the mix with Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin).

In addition to Alex the Great and Geno, Team Russia also features two other all-world goal-scorers in Ilya Kovalchuk and Alexander Semin. Both are a danger to find the back of the net every shift and are superior to any one pure-sniper option Canada has to offer.

It’s not as though the Russian squad will be top heavy, either. Beyond the aforementioned four, there are plenty of players both in the NHL (Alexei Kovalev, Alexander Frolov, Slava Kozlov, Maxim Afinogenov, Sergei Samsonov) and Kontinental League (Alexei Yashin, Alexei Morozov, Sergei Fedorov, Alexander Radulov, Maxim Sushinskiy, Nikolai Zherdev) to fill out the other nine forward spots.

The ‘D’ is nothing to sneeze at, either.

Last time I checked, the team that scores the most goals still wins the game and, for my money, that team will be Russia" - said The Hockey News' editor Edward Fraser in his own blog.