To keep the title in Sweden

Ufa Arena is packed for the home team semifinal against reigning champion Sweden, the rematch of last year dramatic final that gave Sweden the gold against favorite Russia. Fourteen players - six Swedes (but not the match winner Mika Zibanejad) and eight Russians - from last year finals are on the ice tonight trying to remember or forget, depending of which side, the Scotiabank Saddledome night.

Sweden has the first powerplay but produces just one dangerous shot to the Vasilevski gate while Russia, after the thrilling qualification against Switzerland , seems more cautious. And the prudence not pays in some cases: at the second power play Sweden opens the score: the shot by Viktor Rask ends on Elias Lindholm’s stick, number 19 controls and beats Vasilevski for a deserved advantage. Russian reaction doesn’t produce serious effects and Sweden double the score at with captain Filip Forsberg , able to find the right channel to beat Russian goalie, while the defense doesn’t close on time the space for the shot. Sebastian Collberg gives Vasilievski more work two minutes after, but the Tolpar Ufa goalie is reasdy to block the shot. Vladimir Tkachyov finally has a real chance for Russia but his action from behind the gate finds the Niklas Lundstrom pad. But is again Vasilevski to show a superb reflex diving on a Robert Hagg long range shot, then blocking a Forsberg penetration and finally opposing on a Lindholm central conclusion, closing a period very well and cleverly played by Tre Kronor that outstands opponents with an expressive 14-2 on shots on goal



The second period begins as the first ended, with Sweden looking for the third goal and Vasilevski has to work to denied goal at Tom Nilsson and Elias Lindholm. But Russia seems more concentrate and with a bit of luck finds the first goal at 27:32 when the long range shot by Andrei Mironov is deflected by Viktor Arvidsson, resulting out of Lundstrom range. The 7.500 spectators at Ufa Arena push Russia in quest of second goal that is on Andrei Slepyshev stick, but with the gate open he pitches his shot too much. At 30.02 Kapustin, pressured by De la Rose, can’t shot as he want and Lundstrom can deflect stretching a leg. Swedish goalie uses just his instinct at 31 to rebound a Grigorenko sure hit. The central part of the period sees a new Russia, transformed by the goal, and a shy Sweden, incapable to develop its brilliant first period style. Danil Zharkov wastes a good chance shooting on Lundstrom at 34 and at 35 a Swedish stick takes off the puck before the Kosov lethal deflection. One minute after the Russian storm produces a double chance with Khokhlachyov but Lundstrom is ready to deflect both attempts. Arvidsson finally break the siege with a personal move but Vasilievski rebounds and then deflects with the shoulder the De la Rose shot. On the other side Lundstrom is concentrate in blocking a dangerous pass by Nesterov before to became an assist and then ready to recover the puck after a blue line shot seconds after the end of the period.

Third period is opened by a personal action by Viktor Rask, his shot passes at inches from Vasilevki bar but soon Russia is back to be dominant especially because Sweden suffers the velocity of Russian forwards. The goal is the natural consequence but it’s very well prepared by the attack: quick passes between Kosov and Kucherov, Lundstrom rebounds the shot but concedes the tap-in to Grigorenko that finally ties game at 47:56. Sweden has a reaction and Vasilevski is ready to block a Rasmus Bengtsson shot, but the Russian waves are continuous, accompanied by a regenerated crowd. Slepyshev, Grigorenko, Sigarov – stopped by a probable penalty not sanctioned – and Khokhlachyov have chances to complete the comeback but the Swedish sail resists. At 56 finally Nail Yakupov shows his talent with a great personal action but the final shot is deflected, while Sweden emerges from its apnoea at 58 with a shot by Lindholm deflected. At 59 a great chance to freeze the match for Russia: the shot by Tkachyov hits the bar suffocating the crowd shout. Is the last emotion in the regular time before the overtime.
A shot from Khokhlachyov opens the extra time, replied by a Rakell’s personal action, stopped by Vasilevski. His collegue Lundstrom closes well the door on Kosov in a blazing first part of period that becomes more nervous in the second 5 minutes, closing with another personal initiative by Yakupov, stopped by the goalie.



The first shootout is from Sweden but Vasilevski stopped Vikstrand attempt, same did Lundstrom with Grigorenko. Vasilevski deflects also Rask shot. Yakupov shots very bad and Lundstrom save is easy. Collberg manages to score while Kucherov has his shot on Lundberg pad: a cruel final for Russia and maybe a excessive prize for Sweden that played an outstanding first period but then suffered the aggressive Russian play. Varnakov team wasn’t able to close the game mainly in the third period when dominated Sweden.
MVP: Alexander Khokhlachov – Tom Nilsson



The final will be very balanced if Sweden is the team admired in the first period, Russia showed the limits glimpsed yesterday against Switzerland: too many individual actions and not an impressive team play

At the press conference Swedish coach Roger Ronnberg said: “I have to praise my players because they played an amazing first period, probably the best ever in my three years as coach of this team. Then something changed and we left Russia, a great team, take the lead and then it was really a tough task. Fortunately we trained a lot the shootouts because are often required at this level. We studied the way Russian players shoot but when I asked to Niklas (Lundstrom) if he want the information we had he declined and prefer his instinct, he was right”
“We had to prepare differently this game – said Russian coach Mikhail Varnakov – due to our game against Switzerland and I can’t have morning train because I prefer to give the guys some hours more to recover. It’s always difficult to play against Sweden because they have the best skaters of the tournament, we played two great periods but completely missed the first one. Then shootouts are a lottery and unfortunately we didn’t win.”
The Swedish players are radiant in the post-game: “We played really well against a great team – said defender Robert Hagg – and now I don’t wanna think about the final, just eat and sleep! When the game was at SO we know we have a great goalie and good snipers. I don’t know what really happened after the first period, Russia come out and take the control of the game, we need to talk about this.”
The same vision is shared by Viktor Arvidsson: “After the first period something happened, Russia played very well and we can’t have a continuity from our first 20 minutes, I don’t think we feel the pression.”
A terse Danil Zharkov curtails: “There isn’t much to say, we lost a game we had to win.”

 

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