MOSCOW, August 8 (R-Sport) – Russia’s women’s hockey team faces a thrashing if it meets the United States at next year’s Winter Olympics, one of Russia’s top forwards told R-Sport Wednesday.
In a stark reminder of the chasms that separate the top women’s hockey teams from the rest, Alexandra Vafina says not only is a Russian victory not on the cards, the aim will be not to let in more than 10 goals.
When an unheralded US team upset the Soviet Union at the 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, it was labeled the “Miracle on Ice,” but any hopes of a Russian reversal next year in Sochi are a pipe dream.
The US and Canada dominate the women’s game and the margins of defeat can be vast - Russia was pounded 13-0 by the US at the last Olympics.
Should Russia run into the Americans again, “we can’t allow ourselves to let in more than 10 goals,” Vafina said.
Despite that, “we’re setting a goal of reaching the final,” she added. That would be a major breakthrough for Russia, which has never won an Olympic medal. The only non-North American team ever to reach an Olympic final was Sweden in 2006.
At the world championships in April, an 8-1 crushing at the hands of the Canadians ended the Russians' hopes of a place in the final, but they bounced back to beat Finland for the bronze. In Sochi, Russia starts with pool games against Germany, Japan and Sweden.
Russia’s women’s team has a star general manager in Alexei Yashin, who played 850 NHL games between 1993 and 2007. He has been an inspirational presence, Vafina said.
“Last season I wasn’t at all of the training camps, but the girls say he was working with the team the whole time, that he took part in the exercises, helped out and showed off various moves,” she said.
The Winter Olympics are the first to be held in Russia and will run from February 7 through 23.
