GDT: May 20 • Russia 2, Belarus 1

[Systemfel]

2014 IIHF World Championship
Preliminary Round
Group B

May 20
1:45 PM ET • 19:45 CET • 20:45 EET

Russia
Confirmed lineup.

Left Wing​

|

Center​

|

Right Wing​

10 Viktor Tikhonov​

|

11 Yevgeniy Malkin​

|

41 Nikolai Kulyomin

| -

52 Sergei Shirokov​

|

42 Artyom Anisimov​

|

25 Danis Zaripov

| -

16 Sergei Plotnikov​

|

87 Vadim Shipachyov​

|

40 Sergei Kalinin​

| -

63 Yevgeniy Dadonov​

|

69 Alexander Burmistrov​

|

92 Yevgeniy Kuznetsov​

| -

Left Defense​

|

Right Defense​

6 Denis Denisov​

|

73 Maxim Chudinov​

| -

82 Yevgeniy Medvedev

|

14 Alexander Kutuzov​

| -

77 Anton Belov​

|

44 Yegor Yakovlev​

| -

3 Andrei Zubarev​

|

-​

| -

Starter​

|

Backup​

72 Sergei Bobrovskiy​

|

35 Andrei Vasilevskiy​

| -

Scratched​

|

Reason​

G 1 Anton Khudobin​

|

Healthy​

| -

D 23 Dmitriy Orlov​

|

Broken arm, out for tournament​

| -

F 8 Alexander Ovechkin

|

Leg injury​

| -

F 90 Andrei Loktionov​

|

Shoulder injury, out for tournament​

| -

Belarus
Confirmed lineup.

Left Wing​

|

Center​

|

Right Wing​

74 Sergei Kostitsyn

|

88 Yevgeniy Kovyrshin​

|

73 Artyom Volkov​

| -

16 Geoff Platt​

|

23 Andrei Stas​

|

46 Andrei Kostitsyn

| -

18 Alexei Ugarov​

|

77 Alexander Kitarov​

|

61 Andrei Stepanov​

| -

27 Alexei Yefimenko​

|

37 Nikita Osipov​

|

-​

| -

Left Defense​

|

Right Defense​

89 Dmitriy Korobov​

|

92 Raman Hrabarenka​

| -

7 Vladimir Denisov

|

91 Kirill Gotovets​

| -

25 Oleg Yevenko​

|

57 Igor Usenko​

| -

11 Andrei Karev​

|

-​

| -

Starter​

|

Backup​

35 Kevin Lalande​

|

1 Vitaliy Koval​

| -

Scratched​

|

Reason​

G 31 Andrei Mezin​

|

Healthy​

| -

D 5 Nikolai Stasenko​

|

Suspended​

| -

F 17 Alexei Kalyuzhniy

|

-​

| -

F 28 Konstantin Koltsov​

|

Injury​

| -

F 84 Mikhail Grabovskiy

|

-​

| -

Officials​

|

Referee​

|

Mikael Nord | -

Referee​

|

Steve Patafie | -

Linesman​

|

Paul Carnathan | -

Linesman​

|

Sakari Suominen | -

Click to read more...

 

[ViD]

Considering the fact Belarus has clinched a spot in the quarters, I think the game will be fair and both teams will try to get 3 points, I think Belarus will win in a close game.

 

[Acallabeth]

Hopefully the teams will play relaxed and entertaining hockey.

 

[glue]

Considering the fact Belarus has clinched a spot in the quarters, I think the game will be fair and both teams will try to get 3 points, I think Belarus will win in a close game.

No disrespect to Belarus..but I would be shocked if their the team to finally beat Russia who have looked utterly dominant this tournament so far...but I guess you never know

 

[Dima_BLR]

well, since the belarusian defence sucks, even an outstanding performance by their best offensive line won't help to get 3 points here, imo. 1pt maximum for team belarus is my guess.

 

[Trovatore]

Considering the fact Belarus has clinched a spot in the quarters, I think the game will be fair and both teams will try to get 3 points, I think Belarus will win in a close game.

Try as I would, I couldn't see how this logic works. If Russia -tries- to get 3 points, they will get 3 points. With all due respect the odds are overwhelmingly against Belarus in a fair game in this particular match-up.

 

[angresto]

Malkin

Will Malkin play today?

 

[kp61c]

Considering the fact Belarus has clinched a spot in the quarters, I think the game will be fair and both teams will try to get 3 points, I think Belarus will win in a close game.

i think batko will have to content himself with a couple of billinons of soon to be successfully forgiven loans per year. they'll neither win, nor the game'll be a close one

 

[1Gold Standard]

It wouldn't surprise me to see one of those strategic "let's help the little brothers out" sort of games...attempting to hand Belarus the higher seed plus easier 1/4 final match-up.
with the added bonus of possibly bumping out the Americans from the medal round... but that is up to the Latvians.

 

[IceHockey19]

Every game in this tournament we play a little bit worse then previous.
May be we becoming more and more tired. And we lost Ovechkin and Orlov.

So Belarus can win in a fair game. And people start to find politics here.

Personally I hope we'll win. 7-0-0 record looks very cool

 

[Exarz]

Will Malkin play today?

From what I've heard, yes

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

Its a shame this game isnt a do or die for Belarus, i had a feeling for couple of days that if it came down to it they'd put on a show against Russia.

But there's still some stakes left, Belarus doesnt want to face Canada/Sweden in the first round.

 

[Startseva]

Russia won't play best hockey, but will Belarus take this chanse? We will see... Have a feeling that Russia will lose in overtime.

Go Belarus!

 

[Atas2000]

Will Malkin play today?

Yes, with Tikonov and Kulemin.

 

[Atas2000]

Its a shame this game isnt a do or die for Belarus, i had a feeling for couple of days that if it came down to it they'd put on a show against Russia.

But there's still some stakes left, Belarus doesnt want to face Canada/Sweden in the first round.

With a pretty certain US regulation win it's kinda pure theory.

 

[SoundAndFury]

With a pretty certain US regulation win it's kinda pure theory.

USA regulation win doesn't seem so certain. Not that it seemed that certain before the game, this team didn't manage to beat Kazakhstan in regulation.

Edit: Great jinx by me, Gaudreau scores ridiculous goal moments later

 

[Acquizitor*]

Belarus doesn't have a chance. And Batka's motivation wont be enough to stop Malkin if he plays. I think his frustration over Pen's failure will motivate him quite a lot during this game.

 

[Yakushev72]

Every game in this tournament we play a little bit worse then previous.
May be we becoming more and more tired. And we lost Ovechkin and Orlov.

So Belarus can win in a fair game. And people start to find politics here.

Personally I hope we'll win. 7-0-0 record looks very cool

This is to be expected when the toughest competition in the Group is loaded up in the first 3 games. Its hard to get emotionally high with consecutive games against teams that you are favored to beat.

 

[Wings4Life]

Yes, with Tikonov and Kulemin.

Is Kulemin slotted in on the left wing, or the right side?

 

[Systemfel]

Is Kulemin slotted in on the left wing, or the right side?

Tikhonov played LW at the Oddset Hockey Games, so I would guess Kulyomin will play the right side.

 

[BalticWarrior]

Hope russia destroys belarus.

 

[Systemfel]

Belarus is resting Kalyuzhniy and Grabovskiy tonight. Going with 11 forwards.

 

[ThunderBuddy]

Here's to a blowout win for Russia! Leave them in tears...

 

[alce*]

Matches between Russia and Belorussia were usually quite close ones.- http://wildice.ru/p/1/ch/all/team1/RUS/team2/BLR
I see no reason to expect that it would be any different today as both teams have already got to playoff .

 

[ViD]

Go both teams. Honestly will be okay with any outcome