Team Russia looks ready to bounce back into the top echelon on the World Hockey stage.
Russia took to the ice for the first time on Monday with Ovechkin and Kuznetsov paired up on the first line with Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov sliding in on the right side.
Filling out the rest of the offense is Vladimir Tarasenko, Evgeni Malkin and Nikolai Kulemin on the second line. The third line consists of Vladislav Namestnikov, Artem Anisimov and Artemi Panarin.
Dmitry Orlov has found himself on the first defensive pairing along with Nikita Zaitsev. Alexi Emelin skated with Andrei Markov and Nikita Nesterov on the second pair. Alexi Marchenko and Dmitry Kulikov rounded out the third.
Ovechkin said he was feeling good and ready to go as he spoke with reporters after practice, but noted that it will take a couple preliminary games to get into game shape:
"I think it will be hard during the initial warm-up games because we haven’t had any game practice. But that’s the whole purpose of these games: to get experience playing with your line-mates on the power play, penalty kill, and just work yourself into game shape.…
Russian takes on the Czech Republic on Thursday.
Team Sweden also practiced today.
Capitals fans will be happy to hear that Nicklas Backstrom is centering the second line between Patric Hornqvist and former 1st round pick, Filip Forsberg.
Backstrom and Forsberg should play well together, and the fact they are not on the first line, as of now, may mean the pair getting more room to create offense. The addition of Hornqvist, who was phenomenal for the Penguins in the playoffs, gives Backstrom another strong option on the wing.
More to come...