Canada/Russia Challenge Game Day: 8/14/12

[BP Staff]

Russia 2 @ Canada 4

D Nikita Nesterov, RUS: 0-1-1, 0 PIM
D Artem Sergeev, RUS: 0-0-0, 0 PIM
G Andrei Vasilevski, RUS: Loss, 41 saves on 45 shots

The final game in the exhibition series took place in Halifax last night and ended in a decisive victory for Team Canada. Although Game 4 got off to a similar start to the night before, with Russia taking two early leads despite finding themselves mostly hemmed in their own zone or conceding possession for changes and to set up defensively at even-strength, the Canadians finally took the lead, their first since Game 1 of the series, nearly midway through the second period and never relented. Team Russia did manage to generate some quality scoring chances but could not muster a much-needed goal before the game slipped away for good late in the final period. It did help that the Russian coaching staff opted, until just a handful of minutes remained, to keep its team passive and structured in the neutral zone in an apparent attempt to conserve their young squad's energy. For much of the time they trailed, Russia seemed content to try and mount a comeback with selective counterattacks and opportunistic play and, failing that, to try and decide the series in overtime.



http://www.boltprospects.com/content...game-day-81412