🇷🇺 Russia 5-0 Finland 🇫🇮
Channel One Cup
Gazprom Arena, Saint Petersburg 🇷🇺
Sunday, 16 December 2018

In Saint Petersburg, the senior Russian national team took on Finland in the concluding match of the 2018 Channel One Cup match, with the Hockey Classic game taking place at the large Gazprom Arena.

Head coach Ilya Vorobyov included Nikita Nesterov, Artyom Blazhievskiy, Mikhail Grigorenko, Andrei Loktionov and Kirill Kaprizov in the first line, while Igor Shestyorkin was given a start between the pipes, Joni Ortio was the goalkeeper for Finland.

There was a celebratory atmosphere inside the packed Gazprom Arena, but in the opening stages, it was Finland playing with the initiative. After an early power play, the visitors continued to press the Russians, creating plenty of promising opportunities. Igor Shestyorkin was much the busier goalkeeper, but with the frame entering its final minute, Russia opened the scoring with their first chance of note. Young forward Kirill Kaprizov was the hero, collecting the loose puck and whipping it beyond the stricken Joni Ortio.

Russia improved greatly in the second period. On the power play, SKA Saint Petersburg defenceman Vasily Tokranov struck gold with a superb slap shot, before Nikita Nesterov repeated the trick four minutes later with another Finnish player sitting in the penalty box. Completely in control of proceedings, our players registered 10 shots on goal in the frame compared to Finland’s three, and Vladislav Gavrikov increased the lead to four when connecting with Alexander Barabanov’s intelligent pass on the left faceoff circle.

With the outcome of the game practically sealed, the tempo naturally dropped in final set of 20 minutes. The visiting Finns attempted to create intrigue, but every time when they were presented with an ideal opportunity in the Russian zone, Igor Shestyorkin refused to let them get on the board. Mikhail Grigorenko grabbed his goal from the slot in the closing stages, in turn completing a resounding 5-0 victory against Finland at the Gazprom Arena.

As a result of this 5-0 win, Russia have claimed the 2018 Channel One Cup with three victories in as many matches.

BOXSCORE
1st Period
00:31 – 🇷🇺 PEN – Tokranov, slashing
09:17 – 🇫🇮 PEN – Hakulinen, holding
19:02 – 🇷🇺 GOAL – Kaprizov (Grigorenko, Yelesin)

2nd Period
25:17 – 🇫🇮 PEN – team, too many players
25:28 – 🇷🇺 PP GOAL – Tokranov (Gusev, Plotnikov)
28:43 – 🇫🇮 PEN – Ojamäki, slashing
29:21 – 🇷🇺 PP GOAL – Nesterov (Kuzmenko, Shalunov)
30:10 – 🇷🇺 GOAL – Gavrikov (Barabanov, Tokranov)
30:20 – 🇷🇺 PEN – Pedan, tripping
37:10 – 🇫🇮 PEN – Hakanpää, holding

3rd Period
50:12 – 🇷🇺 PEN – Plotnikov, hooking
54:39 – 🇷🇺 GOAL – Grigorenko (Shalunov, Blazhiyevski)

GOALTENDERS
W: 🇷🇺 Shestyorkin (24-24)
L: 🇫🇮 Ortio (32-37)

SHOTS ON GOAL
🇷🇺 10+16+11 = 37
🇫🇮 10+6+8 = 24

ROSTERS
🇷🇺 Goaltenders: Igor Bobkov, Igor Shestyorkin, Ilya Sorokin. Defence: Viktor Antipin, Artyom Blazhiyevski, Vladislav Gavrikov, Nikita Nesterov, Andrei Pedan, Vasili Tokranov, Alexei Vasilevski, Alexander Yelesin. Forwards: Sergei Andronov (A), Alexander Barabanov, Nikita Gusev, Mikhail Grigorenko, Ilya Kablukov, Alexander Kadeykin, Kirill Kaprizov, Yevgeni Ketov (C), Andrei Kuzmenko, Andrei Loktionov, Sergei Plotnikov (A), Nikolai Prokhorkin, Maxim Shalunov.
🇫🇮 Goaltenders: Joni Ortio, Rasmus Tirronen. Defence: Niklas Friman, Jani Hakanpää, Juuso Hietanen (C), Jyrki Jokipakka, Casimir Jürgens, Otto Leskinen, Petteri Lindbohm, Juuso Vainio, Jesse Virtanen. Forwards: Andrei Hakulinen, Julius Junttila, Antti Kalapudas, Jani Lajunen (A), Eetu Luostarinen, Niko Ojamäki, Mika Partanen, Jukka Peltola (A), Juuso Puustinen, Toni Rajala, Jere Sallinen, Teemu Turunen.

Article Credit: FHR
Photo Credit: FHR – IIHF – HHOF – IOC