After a heartbreaking run last year, Russia gets a chance to make their fans proud as they host the World Junior Championships.
Many fancy the Russians to be the favorites to win the top prize this year. Last year the Russians earned second place in Group A after an overtime loss to Sweden, but then dominated Canada in a 6-5 win that was 6-1 at one point early in the third. However, the high flying Russian side was shut out 1-0 in the final against Sweden and saw their hopes fade.
The team is now playing at home and includes Nail Yakupov (first overall pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft), Mikhail Grigorenko, Andrei Makarov, and Andrei Vasilevski. This team is loaded with talent on the offensive but the duo of Makarov and Vasilevski is lethal in goal.
Their first opponents will be a Slovakia team that made a solid run last year. The Slovakians won two of four matches but gave up 17 goals and only scored 11. When these two teams met last year in the group stage, Russia won the game 3-1. In the quarterfinals, the squad lost 8-5 to Finland and ended its tournament. The team only features one NHL drafted prospect, Peter Ceresnák. They are expected to struggle mightily in this group and drew the toughest team in their first match.
Prediction; Russia should win this match handily; 6-2 Russia.
Start Time: 9 AM EST
TV Info: TSN, NHL Network