On May 18, 2019, the Russian national ice hockey team played its fifth match at the World Championship in Slovakia. The wards of Ilya Vorobyov were opposed by Latvian hockey players, who had not yet lost their chances of reaching the decisive stage of the World Cup. The game was expected to be stubborn and uncompromising.
To preserve the chances of reaching the playoffs of the Latvian national team, it was necessary to take points from the Russian team. The Baltic hockey players were in a good mood for the upcoming match, which became clear from the first shifts.
The initial segment of the game took place under high pressure from the Latvians. Hockey players of the Russian national team experienced hefty problems getting out of their own zone. However, after the first change of the three Ovechki - Kuznetsov - Barabanov the game moved to the goal of the Latvian national team. Legionnaires from Washington did not allow Latvians to leave their own zone, creating dangerous moments. Such activity of the Russians did not lead to an abandoned puck.
In the middle of the period, removals began. At first, the national teams played in equal, but incomplete compositions (four to four), and then the Russians left again. When playing four on three, the Latvian national team managed to open the score in the match. On the 11th minute, Oskar Tsibulskis scored, hitting the near corner of the goal of Andrei Vasilevsky. The Tampa Bay Lightning goalkeeper did not manage to relocate due to the fast transfer of Latvians. The corner of the Russians' goal remained unprotected.
Soon the Russian national team got their chance to recoup. Ilya Vorobyov's charges played in the majority for four minutes. During this time, a flurry of attacks hit the gate of the Latvian team. Nikita Kucherov and Gusev hit the frame, Alexander Ovechkin several times dangerously threw on target. All these attempts did not lead to a goal. The Latvian national team stood up heroically.
At the end of the period, the Russians could have missed more in a dangerous counterattack, but Andrey Vasilevsky saved the team. For the first time in the tournament, the Russian national team lost during the match. The count before the siren for the break has not changed. Latvia was leading 1: 0.
At the beginning of the second period, the Russians were able to level the score. Powerful long-range shot of Dmitry Orlov reached its goal. It took the Washington Capitals defender just 27 seconds from the throw-in to tie the scoreboard.
At the 4th minute of the period, the advantage of the more skilled hockey players affected. The Russian majority brigade under the leadership of Evgeny Malkin organized the second puck against the Latvian hockey players. Nikita Gusev distinguished himself with the transfer of Evgeny Dadonov. After the goal, the Russians continued to dominate. The “red car” attacked a lot and dangerously, which resulted in the third goal against the Latvian national team. This time, the top scorer of the current tournament, Nikita Kucherov, scored one on one with the goalkeeper.
The ending of the period for the Russian national team turned out to be crumpled. The reason for this was two deletions, because of which domestic hockey players were forced to finish the second twenty minutes three together against five rivals. The defense of the Russians held out, the score 3: 1 remained until the siren for the break.
In the final period, the viewers did not see the abandoned washers. The closest to a goal were Russian hockey players Nikita Kucherov and Dmitry Orlov, but the throws of these hockey players lacked accuracy. For the Latvian national team played the frame of the gate. The final score of the match 3: 1 in favor of the Russian national team allowed the domestic players to win the fifth victory in the tournament, thanks to which the Russian team retains the first line in the table in group B of the 2019 World Cup.
