As expected, Austria’s national ice hockey team was too big for the Olympic champion. The ÖEHV team took a 7-0 (3-0.0-3.0-0.1) lead at the World Cup in Copenhagen on Sunday. The next match for the Austrians will be against Slovakia on Tuesday (4.15 pm). Then there will also be reinforcements in the person of NHL striker Michael Raffl.
In front of 9,500 spectators in the Royal Arena, Mikhail Grigorenko (10th), Artyom Anisimov (12th) and Alexander Barabanov (14th) ensured clear conditions in the first third with three goals. Afterwards the Russians played loosely and delighted their fans with some more beautiful goals.
Team boss Roger Bader spared goalkeeper Bernhard Starkbaum, who took a break after his strong performance against Switzerland the previous day, and thus helped David Madlener to his debut at an A-WC. Bader also had to adjust due to injury. Instead of Steven Strong, who was badly injured at one knee against Switzerland, Patrick Peter came to his first mission. Lukas Haudum, who has a swollen ankle after a blocked shot, was also missing.
The Russians, who arrived with 14 Olympic gold medal winners and six NHL players, took it easy for ten minutes. When they gained a gear, it was too much for the Austrians. Three goals within 3:45 minutes quickly ended the dreams of a sensation. Grigorenko (24th), Kirill Kaprisow (30th) and Maxim Mamin (38th) followed in the middle third. Ilya Mikheev closed the match at the 54th minute.
Team boss Ilya Vorobyov’s team finally celebrated its second canters victory. At the beginning, the “Sbornaya” had also defeated France 7:0.