Coach of the Russian national ice hockey team Zinetula Bilyaletdinov has announced an extended roster for the Euro Ice Hockey Challenge (EICH) competition in April, the Russian Ice Hockey Federation said on its website on Monday.
The EICH is a competition among European franchises organized by the IIHF (International Ice Hockey Federation). The EICH was set up mainly as a “warm up” stage for the Ice Hockey World Tournament, which will be held this year on May 4-20 in Sweden and Finland.
The Russian roster comprises 34 players – three goaltenders, 12 defenders and 19 forwards. The list excludes players from the National Hockey League (NHL), and the teams competing for the Gagarin Cup.
Russia will face Germany on April 7 and 8, Slovakia – on April 13 and 14, and Latvia – on April 20 and 21.
The roster includes:
Goaltenders – Konstantin Barulin (Atlant), Mikhail Biryukov (Yugra) and Vasily Koshechkin (Severstal).
Defenders – Andrei Zubarev, Ivan Vishnevskiy (Atlant); Maksim Chudov, Bogdan Kiselevich (Severstal); Yevgeny Ryasenskiy, Yakov Rylov (CSKA); Konstantin Korneyev, Yevgeny Medvedev, Ilya Nikulin (Ak Bars); Yevgeny Biryukov (Metallurg); Nikolai Belov (Neftekhimik); Nikita Zaitsev (Sibir).
Forwards – Igor Musatov, Nikolai Zherdev (Atlant); Yevgeny Ketov, Vadim Shipachev (Severstal); Ilya Zubov, Sergei Shirokov (CSKA); Mikhail Varnakov, Ilya Krikunov (Torpedo); Denis Abdullin (Avtomobilist); Yevgeny Bodrov, Danis Zaripov, Alexey Morozov, Yevgeny Skachkov, Alexey Tereshchenko (Ak Bars); Dmitry Kazionov (Metallurg); Maxim Pestushko (Neftekhimik); Igor Grigorenko, Alexander Svitov (Salavat Yulayev); Roman Lyuduchin (Spartak).