Kovalchuk-Malkin-Datsyuk Russian Super Line Collects 10 Points in 6-1 Victory Over Denmark

Russia's sweet 23
Datsyuk gets hat trick, Russia its 23 straight win at the Worlds
IIHF May 16, 2010

Pavel Datsyuk scored a hat trick and Alexander Ovechkin kept his goal streak going, adding his fifth in the tournament in as many games. The Kovalchuk-Malkin-Datsyuk line collected ten points as Russia beat Denmark 6-1.

Russia now hasn’t lost a World Championship game since the 2-1 overtime loss to Finland in 2007.

"We wanted to make sure that we'd respect Denmark, and play organized hockey, and we did just that," said Vyachselav Bykov, Russia's coach.

"There were a couple of minutes in the second period where we lost the discipline, but I'm happy with the result," he added.

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ILYA KOVALCHUK – 400!

ILYA KOVALCHUK – 400!
Yesterday Ilya Kovalchuk netted his 400th goal in his professional career in his 50th match for the Russian national team.
Sport Express Daily May 12, 2010


New Jersey forward Ilya Kovalchuk played his jubilee 50th match for his national team yesterday and was voted the best player of the team in the World Championship game against Kazakhstan (4:1).

"I felt much better and the team demonstrated hockey of higher quality than in the previous match against Slovakia", Kovalchuk said. "We created a lot of scoring opportunities and played more reliable".

"It’s not so important who are your partners in the national team. Afinogenov and Kulemin are in excellent form, and I think they played very well".

"It’s great that Pavel Datsyuk is coming to Germany to join us, as it’s perfect reinforcement of our team. Pavel is one of the best centers in the world".

"Kazakhstan played well against us, and it was not an easy match for Russia. It became easier to play after we scored a goal on powerplay".

"I would have given award for the best player of the game to Alexandr Eremenko, who saved us many times. He is not to blame for conceded goal".

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Russia Beats Slovakia In World Opener, Kovalchuk Named Captain

In the Crease
Associated Press May 10, 2010

World championships

Jaromir Jagr set up three goals to help the Czech Republic cruise past France, 6-2, in their opening game of the ice hockey world championships in Cologne, Germany.

Group C rival Sweden won a had-fought battle with Norway, 5-2.

In Group A, Belarus rallied from two goals down to beat Kazakstan, 5-2. Russia, led by its big guns - team captain Ilya Kovalchuk, Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, and Maxim Afinogenov - beat Slovakia, 3-1.

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Ilya Kovalchuk & Russia takes aim at gold medal hat trick at Worlds

Russia takes aim at gold medal hat trick at Worlds
Foxnews.com May 7, 2010

During the recent LG Hockey Games (an annual World Championship preparation tournament in Stockholm and Helsinki), Bykov confirmed that two-time Hart Trophy winner Alex Ovechkin, 2009 World Championship MVP Ilya Kovalchuk, high-scoring Capitals forward Alexander Semin and promising young Capitals goaltender Semyon Varlamov all said they will answer to call to help the national team defend its World Championship gold medal. In addition, enigmatic Los Angeles Kings forward Alexander Frolov and Nashville Predators defenseman Denis Grebeshkov will join Team Russia for the start of the tournament.

In a recent interview with Sovetskiy Sport translated through Russianhockeyfans.com, Kovalchuk explained that he and other top Russian players already had discussed possible World Championship participation immediately after the Olympics, and pledged to one another that they would play in the tournament if possible. He also said he spoke with Ovechkin and Semin shortly after the Caps lost Game 7 to Montreal. Although Kovalchuk is an impending free agent, he said his contract status will not be a deterrent to playing in Germany.

"We must win and make this season end well," Kovalchuk said. "My wife Nicole understood me at once, told me that the whole family would be watching games on TV and cheer for us. She and the kids stayed in Miami. I spent a week there and flew to Russia."

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