Russia has been one of the most consistent performers in the annual World Junior Hockey Championship, claiming a medal in each of the previous six tournaments, and missing the podium just once in the last 12 years.
In the last two events, they’ve settled for silver. A comeback from 5-1 down fell just short in Toronto in 2015, ultimately resulting in a 5-4 loss to the host nation. Last year, Russia mounted a more successful comeback versus Finland, tying the game up in the dying seconds to take the final to overtime, but once again they looked on as the home side celebrated a championship victory.