Host Cities: Bratislava and Kosice, Slovakia
April 29 – May 15, 2011
RESULT: 4th PLACE
This tournament brought Russia’s four-year medal streak at the World Hockey Championships to an end. Russia entered the tournament with a weaker group of players than in 2010, but still brought plenty of familiar faces, with only two players (Vladimir Tarasenko and Nikolai Belov) making their WC debut. Plenty of weaknesses became apparent as Russia struggled right from the opening game, getting shut-out by Germany, and in subsequent tight victories against lesser hockey powers like Slovenia and Denmark. The coaching staff entrusted Evgeni Nabokov to be the starting goaltender. Having sat out most of the season, Nabokov was not in ideal shape and suffered a leg injury in the fourth game, forcing Konstantin Barulin of KHL’s Atlant to handle the remaining games. Russia was also set back by an underwhelming group of centres, a struggling powerplay, undisciplined play from Alexei Emelin and Evgeni Artyukhin, and a faulty defense. Alexander Ovechkin was parachuted in to boost the offense, but he did not register a single point. After losing its remaining round-robin games to the Czech Republic and Finland, Russia faced off against the young and talented Canadian team in the quarterfinals. As usual, this matchup provided for the most entertaining hockey of the tournament, with Canada leading 1-0 midway through the third period. Alexei Kaigorodov then deked through the Canadian defence and scored a beautiful shorthanded goal to tie the game. A few minutes later, Ilya Kovalchuk sniped in the game-winner from Alexander Radulov’s pass. This tandem was Russia’s main highlight in the tournament. By defeating Canada in the quarters for the second straight year, Russia did not have enough energy and willpower to maintain such tempo for the rest of the tournament and went on to lose in the semifinal to Finland and in the bronze-medal game to the Czechs (this turn of events resembled the 2006 Olympics for Russia). What is especially concerning is that Russia lost five games out of nine. While Vyacheslav Bykov’s record as Russia’s coach is still an impressive 40 wins to 9 losses, a fourth place finish is clearly a disappointment.
Game 1: Germany 2 – Russia 0
Goals: Greilinger (Braun), Reimer
Shots: Germany 27 – Russia 31
Saves: Endras 31 – Nabokov 25
PIM: Germany 6 – Russia 4
Game 2: Russia 6 – Slovenia 4
Goals: Atyushov (Kovalchuk, Radulov), Afinogenov (Korneev), Kulikov (Kaigorodov), Artyukhin (Afinogenov, Kaigorodov), Radulov (Kovalchuk, Gorovikov), Zinoviev (Zaripov) – Hebar (Gregorc), Golicic (Sivic, M. Hocevar), Golicic (M. Hocevar), Pajic (Tavzelj)
Shots: Russia 25 – Slovenia 35
Saves: Nabokov 31 – A. Hocevar 19
PIM: Russia 33 – Slovenia 6
Game 3: Russia 4 – Slovakia 3
Goals: Radulov (Kovalchuk, Tyutin), Nikulin (Kovalchuk, Tyutin), Nikulin (Kovalchuk), Morozov (Atyushov, Kaigorodov) – Satan (Nagy, Jurcina), Gaborik (Demitra), Nagy (Majesky, Visnovsky)
Shots: Russia 31 – Slovakia 32
Saves: Nabokov 17/20, Barulin 12/12 – Halak 27
PIM: Russia 8 – Slovakia 14
Game 4: Russia 4 – Denmark 3
Goals: Zinoviev (Nikulin, Zaripov), Zinoviev (Morozov, Zaripov), Zinoviev (Zaripov, Morozov), Artyukhin (Korneev, Kalinin) – Hardt (Starkov), Boedker (Hersby), Hardt (Starkov)
Shots: Russia 40 – Denmark 22
Saves: Nabokov 15/18, Barulin 4/4 – Andersen 36
PIM: Russia 14 – Denmark 6
Game 5: Czech Republic 3 – Russia 2
Goals: Voracek (Rolinek, Skoula), Jagr (Plekanec), Plekanec – Tereshchenko (Atyushov, Radulov), Zaripov (Kalinin, Zinoviev)
Shots: Czech Republic 33 – Russia 26
Saves: Pavelec 24 – Barulin 30
PIM: Czech Republic 8 – Russia 16
Game 6: Finland 3 (SO) – Russia 2
Goals: Koivu (Puistola), Niskala (Immonen) – Kulemin (Kulikov, Artyukhin), Nikulin (Zaripov, Morozov)
Shots: Finland 32 – Russia 35
Saves: Vehanen 3/5, Lassila 30/30 – Barulin 29
PIM: Finland 12 – Russia 12
Quarterfinal: Russia 2 – Canada 1
Goals: Kaigorodov, Kovalchuk (Radulov, Kalinin) – Spezza (Pietrangelo)
Shots: Russia 20 – Canada 37
Saves: Barulin 36 – Bernier 18
PIM: Russia 10 – Canada 12
Semifinal: Finland 3 – Russia 0
Goals: Granlund (Immonen), Lajunen, Immonen (Granlund)
Shots: Finland 29 – Russia 30
Saves: Vehanen 30 – Barulin 26
PIM: Finland 12 – Russia 10
Bronze medal game: Czech Republic 7 – Russia 4
Goals: Cervenka, Prucha (Rolinek, Marek), Prucha, Cervenka (Prucha), Plekanec (Cervenka), Marek, Plekanec (Jagr, Cervenka) – Kovalchuk (Radulov, Tyutin), Kulikov (Afinogenov, Gorovikov), Kovalchuk (Radulov, Zinoviev), Tarasenko (Zinoviev, Korneev)
Shots: Czech Republic 28 – Russia 43
Saves: Pavelec 39 – Barulin 21
PIM: Czech Republic 4 – Russia 6
Team Stats:
| Player | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM |
| D #5 Ilya Nikulin | 9 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| D #7 Dmitry Kalinin | 9 | 0 | 3 | 3 | +4 | 4 |
| D #22 Konstantin Korneev | 9 | 0 | 3 | 3 | +3 | 0 |
| D #37 Denis Grebeshkov | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 0 |
| D #43 Dmitry Kulikov | 9 | 2 | 1 | 3 | -3 | 4 |
| D #44 Nikolai Belov | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 4 |
| D #51 Fedor Tyutin | 9 | 0 | 3 | 3 | -3 | 0 |
| D #74 Alexei Emelin | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -5 | 29 |
| F #8 Alexander Ovechkin | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -3 | 4 |
| F #21 Konstantin Gorovikov | 9 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -1 | 2 |
| F #23 Alexei Tereshchenko | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -5 | 2 |
| F #25 Danis Zaripov | 9 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| F #41 Nikolai Kulemin | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -4 | 2 |
| F #42 Sergei Zinoviev | 9 | 4 | 3 | 7 | +2 | 4 |
| F #47 Alexander Radulov (A) | 9 | 2 | 5 | 7 | -1 | 6 |
| F #49 Evgeni Artyukhin | 9 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 24 |
| F #55 Alexei Kaigorodov | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| F #61 Maxim Afinogenov | 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | +2 | 6 |
| F #71 Ilya Kovalchuk (A) | 9 | 3 | 5 | 8 | -1 | 6 |
| F #91 Vladimir Tarasenko | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -3 | 0 |
| F #95 Alexei Morozov (C) | 9 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 8 |
| Goaltender | GP | W | L | GAA | Save % | SO |
| G #20 Evgeni Nabokov | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3.60 | 88.0 | 0 |
| G #83 Vasili Koshechkin | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| G #84 Konstantin Barulin | 7 | 2 | 4 | 2.80 | 90.8 | 0 |
Photo Gallery:
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- Evgeni Artyukhin was Russia’s primary agitator
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- Konstantin Barulin replaced the injured Evgeni Nabokov as Russia’s main goalie
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- Nikulin, Ovechkin and Afinogenov line up for a face-off
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- Alexei Kaigorodov beats Canada’s Jonathan Bernier
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- Memories of 2008: Kovalchuk kills Canada again
Russkiy Hockey 
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