The opening game for the NHLs new World Cup of Hockey features New York Islanders Nikolai Kulemin and Team Russia go up against Team Czech Republic in Moscow.
The exhibition match is a lead up to the actual tournament that’s scheduled to begin on September 17th in Toronto, Canada. But we finally get some competitive hockey, and it’s only September! How great is this?
Both teams will look to get off to a winning start, but most of the pressure falls to Russia who hosts the opening game in Moscow.
Russian History
The last time Russia hosted “meaningful” international hockey it didn’t go so well for them, bowing out to Finland 3-1 in the quarterfinals of the Sochi Winter Olympics.