Russian national hockey team coach Vyacheslav Bykov (back)
Photo: Dmitry Lebedev
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Russian Hockey Team Proceeds to Group E
The Russian national hockey team begins a new round of qualifying matches today with a game against the Italian team. This is its first game in Group E, where it will also face the Swedes and Swiss. The four top teams of the group will continue to the next round. Teams that have already played each other do not do so again, but the points earned carry through. Thus, a victory over the Italians will guarantee that Russia makes it into the quarter finals.
Russia is favored to win today. Bookmakers are taking bets on Russia at 1.01:1, while they are giving 22:1 for Italy. Russia also won against the Swiss team in two pre-championship games with scores of 4:1 both times.
Seven of the Russian team's members arrived from overseas to play. They have made only seven goals between them. Observers say that they have had a difficult time with acclimatization. One place on the team remains vacant. If New Jersey Devils member Sergey Brylin is freed from the Stanley Cup competition, he has expressed readiness to join the national team, which is coached by Vyacheslav Bykov.
The top Group E team will face the fourth team from Group F, and the other teams will face the third teams from that group, which includes the Czech Republic, Canada, Slovakia and the United States.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of May 04, 2007
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