The wait is over, Russia is back

Russia has to wait 5 years, included a disappointing loss in semifinal at home in 2013, to play again for gold medal at WJC, but finally the waiting is over. With a solid performance and a brilliant game by its third line, Russia demolishes Sweden, landing to semifinal with a perfect record.

Sweden and Russia open the first semifinal of World Junior Championship coming from a different quarter final played: Russia eliminated US in a dramatic game, Sweden had an easier task against a undertone Finland. Once again Russia has to overturn the prognostic, while all are waiting for a Canada- Sweden final.

Goalie soderstrom begins to work after three minutes rebounding a diagonal shot by Anatoli Golyshev and one minute later a long shot by Nikita Cherepanov. Sweden tries with star player William Nylander but Russian defense is reactive. So coach Gronborg squad uses its best weapon, shots from defender: Robin Norell open the fire at 7 minute, Igor Shestyorkin blocks. Russia earns first power play at 7:15– out Lucas Wallmark for hooking – but Sweden has the best chance even if with a man less: Julius Bergman has the shot angle opened but his tentative lands in Shestyorkin pads. At 12 Soderstrom deflects with the mask the shot from the blue by Gavrikov and in the same action has to make a difficult save on Golyshev. At 14:09 William Lagesson receives an hard hit from Maxim Mamin resulting in a major penalty for Russian forward and in a wound on Swedish defender’s face. At 19 Pavel Buchnevich is a bit late to find the right deflection in front of Soderstrom closing a first period where Russians has a supremacy in chances and control of the game.

The second period begins with a penalty each and a good chance for Sweden, but Jacob De la Rose can’t finalize a wrap-around by Anton Blidh. Russia produces…. a lot of confusion in front of Soderstrom. De la rose tries again to open the score but Shestyorkin is reactive and blocks the shot. Around the middle of the period, Soderstrom deflects on Alexander Bryntsev and Shestyorkin does the same on Blidh: the game remains very battled even if in this period Sweden is more active and create more chances, thus without real dangers for the opponent. So it’s Russia to open the score with a nice combination from its third line: the speedy counter attack sees the puck passing quickly from Dergachyov to Golyshev ending on Alexander Sharov stick: shot and goal.

Alexander Sharov opens the score

Sweden suffers a penalty right after the game and Soderstrom has much work to avoid second goal: Swedish goalie blocks on Golyshev and Paigin, but team Russia again works very well with puck transition and when Ziat Paigin has the second opportunity doesn’t fail, his precise shot ends in Soderstrom’s net angle. Russia has another great opportunity with Golyshev but Soderstrom rebounds his without fail shot. At 39 Russia scores with Dergachyov but the player charges the goalie and goal isn’t allowed. Same player has another good chance a dozens of seconds before the siren with Soderstrom ready to block.

Dergachyov goal not allowed

At the begin of third Russia gives the decisive bite: Lagesson slips in his defensive zone, the puck is served by Bryukvin to Sharov, the forward has time to aim the shot beating Soderstrom with no chances for the goalie. At 53 Forsling is decisive to avoid Russia’s fourth goal putting the stick at the last gasp to stop Golyshev alone with Soderstrom. Finally Sweden manage to score at 51 with Lucas Wallmark  in a messy action with a previous shot by Adam Brodecki. The goal ignites Gronborg troop and Shestyorkin has to lay down on the puck to avoid another goal. But the Russian counter attack is lethal and immediately the three goals gap is restrored: in a quick descent on the wing Fishenko shots, Soderstrom rebounds and Maxim Mamin is ready to tap in the puck. Barbashyov might score the fifth at 56 but his shot is rebounded. With almost four minutes to play Sweden decides to pull the goalie but Russian defense is really impenetrable and when Swedish players finds an angle to shot, Shestyorkin is a wall. With 22 seconds to play Lindblom finds the net but goal is disallowed for interference on the goalie. Russia flies to the final deservedly, outplaying Sweden, but something, or better all, doesn’t work in Tre Kronor team today, too bad and too imprecise to be the same squad seen until now

MVP: Linus Soderstrom - Alexander Sharov

More photos on eurohockey.com Facebook page and Google+

Tweets by @eurohockey