STOCKHOLM – It was another day at the office for perfect Russia, which downed Denmark 3-1 on Thursday to stay tied for first place with Sweden in the Stockholm group. The Danes, a long shot to crack the quarter-finals, are last with one point.
Click here for a video with post-game comments.Russian scoring leader Yevgeni Malkin potted the eventual winner in the first period. Yevgeni Medvedev and Dmitri Kalinin also scored for Russia, and Sergei Shirokov added two assists. Lars Eller replied for Denmark.
It was a battle of backup goalies making their tournament debuts, and Russia’s Konstantin Barulin got the better of Denmark’s Simon Nielsen. Shots on goal favoured Russia 52-34.
"We talked a lot about taking more shots, especially from the middle distance of the goal," said Russian coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov. "I think what you saw today was our ability to shoot the puck more and make their goaltender work."
Predictably, Russia’s superior skill took over as the game wore on, even though the Danes certainly didn't quit. The Russians have looked very solid so far in their quest to return to the World Championship podium for the first time since 2010’s silver.
"Team Russia didn't give us anything for free," said Denmark's Kirill Starkov. "Not often do you see a Russian team going out and playing that hard against teams like us."
At 2:08, Medvedev kicked things off for Russia, sending a high slapper past Nielsen from the left point.
Denmark responded just over two minutes later with a fluky unassisted goal, as Eller came down the right side and unleashed a shot that tipped in off the skate of Russian captain Ilya Nikulin.
"It felt good to answer back and tie the game,' said Danish captain Morten Madsen. "Against Sweden they scored a few goals before we were able to make a game of it."
About six and a half minutes in, Frans Nielsen pounced on a turnover off a faceoff in Russia’s zone, and zinged a high wrister that Barulin picked off with his glove.
Malkin made it 2-1 with 6:25 left in the opening stanza, accepting a perfect centering pass in the slot from Alexander Perezhogin and snapping the puck high past Nielsen.
The Russians exerted steady pressure from the start of the second period. It paid off at 6:32, as Yevgeni Kuznetsov broke into the Danish zone and left a drop pass for Kalinin, whose perfectly placed drive dinged in off Nielsen’s right post and made it 3-1.
Early in the third period, Barulin stretched out his left leg to foil a Danish wraparound attempt. It was among the better chances for the underdogs, who managed to outshoot the Russians 18-8 in the third.
Nikolai Kulyomin got hooked on a breakaway by Danish defenceman Jesper B. Jensen near the five-minute mark, and was awarded a penalty shot. Kulyomin cut in wide from the right side, feinted, and missed with a forehand shot.
With two and a half minutes left, speedy Danish forward Jannik Hansen busted down the right side and got a shorthanded breakaway on Barulin, but the Russian goalie stacked the pads and denied him. That ensured Denmark was bound for its third regulation loss of this tournament.
"We felt like we had a good chance to get a point or two," said Hansen. "We had scoring chances, especially towards the end, but we knew Russia would be a very tough opponent that would punish us if we make mistakes. When we did, they capitalized."
"Russia is a great team and we battled hard," said Madsen. "In the third period we had our chances to get the tie, but their goaltender was very good today."
Denmark has never beaten Russia at an IIHF World Championship. This was the seventh straight defeat the Danes have suffered against the Russians since returning to the elite division in 2003.
LUCAS AYKROYD
