Russia was able to sneak by Canada 2-1 on Sunday at Hockey World League 2 in Chula Vista, California.
After a convincing victory against the host United States on Saturday, in which both Scott Tupper and Matthew Sarmento scored two goals each, Canada faced the Russians who were coming off their own convincing win, an 6-1 victory over Trinidad and Tobago.
The game was started quietly on a rainy day in California. Russia hoped to be the first to make noise having earned the first penalty corner of the game, but Canada’s goalkeeper David Carter, who made his second straight start, turned the ball away.
Shortly after Carter’s important save and after a bout of mifield play, Canada’s Iain Smythe entered the Russian circle and beat keeper Marat Gafarov to give Canada the 1-0 in the eleventh minute, a lead wihch they carried into half time.
The second half was very similar to the first, with both teams playing a very calculated style in the wet conditions.
In the third quarter, Russia earned another two penalty corners but once again Canada defended well and didn’t allow a good opportunity on goal.
But the Russians kept pressing and in the forty-second minute Nikolay Komarov was finally ablet to beat Carter and tie the game at one.
Despite carrying the play for the majority of the game, Canada surrendered another goal five minutes later when Alexander Palyanitsa put the ball past Carter to give Russia the 2-1 lead.
Canada pressed in the fourth quarter and had opportunities to tie on penalty corners late in the match but were unable to beat the Russian keeper.
With the 2-1 victory Russia moves into first place in Pool B. Canada faces Trinidad and Tobago in its final group-stage match on Tuesday.
Comments from Canadian captain Scott Tupper (via PAHF):