“In short, shame.” Reaction to Canada’s Russians’ World Cup loss :: hockey :: RBC Sport

The Russian national ice hockey team lost to the Canadians in the world championship quarter-finals – 2: 1 after extra time. Most pundits criticized the national team, but some praised Russian hockey players for this tournament.

Roman Rotenberg, chief of staff of the national team, first vice-president of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation (FHR).

Rotenberg said he was not happy with the result and that the team’s goal now is to defend the Olympic gold medal at the Games in China.

“Everyone who came to the tournament and lived in a ‘bubble’ did a great job, there is no point in blaming anyone now. Now our task is to win the Beijing Olympics, and in As for today’s loss, it’s hard to talk about any systemic error in 3v3 overtime. This is a purely individual skill of the canadian national team defenseman. there was a level playing field, all the players gave their all – it’s 100% “, – said Rotenberg TASS.

Viatcheslav Anisin, triple world champion

According to him, the team made numerous inaccuracies in the transmissions.

“The attacks at the gates of Canada looked like this: the whole five laps around the fifth point and holds the puck. Is it correct? The Canadiens also played so-so, but at times they tried to shorten and score. Our hockey players looked like whipped boys when the Canadians attacked three by three. In a word – a shame “, – noted Anisin Sport24.

Dmitry Guberniev, sports commentator

Guberniev believes the Canadians jumped over their heads and played better than the Russians.

“We haven’t become a team, although we have the strongest roster. We had to beat this Canada. But we know how they can come together. It was an early final that we lost. Coach, team and all Russian hockey lost. We have to keep working if we don’t want to embarrass ourselves at the Olympics “, – estimate Guberniev “Championship”.

Sergey Nikolishin, world champion and Olympic bronze medalist

The former hockey player refused to view the outcome of the game as shameful as the Russians were pitted against a historically strong national team.

“We lost against Canada, not against Italy. In the quarterfinals, in overtime. It was a good game. Tactical struggle. Canadians have set traps. We waited for their moment until overtime. What we haven’t won is hockey at its best. There was a tactical fight in which the Canadians excelled better than us, ”Nikolishin said on Match TV.

Darius Kasparaitis, Olympic champion

Kasparaitis insists that it is not necessary to dramatize the situation and that the leaders of the federation must draw conclusions.

“I thought Canada wouldn’t even be in the top four. They started the championship without success, there are no famous players. Russia’s defeat is a big surprise. It’s usually an enchanted world championship: it was taken from Belarus, given to Latvia. You know what, the World Cup had to be organized in Lithuania – then the Russian national team would have won for sure “, – estimate Kasparaitis “Championship”.