Russia’s ice hockey need more experience of playing at the top level, coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov said Sunday.
A Russian team featuring several young players lost two of its three matches on the Swedish stage of the Euro Hockey Tour, finishing with a 4-0 defeat to the Czech Republic in Oddset on Sunday.
“I reckon that the players now in the national team are gathering exactly the experience that they need. We probably have the youngest team here,” Bilyaletdinov said after the match.
The coach said he had sacrificed Russia’s chances in Sweden to build a squad for the World Championships in Finland and Sweden in May.
“We’re trying to make a team for the World Championships that will fight for medals. There are kids for whom it’s still a bit early, but we’re deliberately calling them up because we have to think about what we’ll have tomorrow.
“From this squad that played in Sweden, there’s also players who we’re playing to take [to the World Championships,” he said.
Russia are chasing their sixth Euro Hockey Tour title and remain top of the overall ahead of the final tournament in the Czech Republic in April, with a two-point lead over Sweden.
Russia has won three world championship, including the 2008 and 2009 titles, but finished fourth in 2011 after defeat to the Czech Republic in the bronze medal match.
