Russia’s World Cup team boasts plenty of firepower and a star goaltender
TORONTO — Evgeny Kuznetsov has fond memories of Russia’s last big national men’s team victory on Canadian ice.
He’ll get a chance to leave his own mark on the storied rivalry in Saturday’s semifinal at the World Cup of Hockey.
Kuznetsov was 16 when he watched Ilya Kovalchuk score the overtime winner in the final of the 2008 world hockey championship. The 5-4 victory over Canada at the Colisee in Quebec City gave Russia its first world title in 15 years.
“I saw the game when Kovalchuk scored in Quebec,” Kuznetsov said. “I was a little guy and I almost cried. That’s a good feeling.”