SOCHI — Goaltender Semyon Varlamov, who saw an assault charge against him dropped in December, has been handed a starting berth for Russia in the host nation's Olympic hockey curtain-raiser against Slovenia on Thursday, a team spokesman said.
Russia is spoiled for choice in the goaltending department, with Colorado Avalanche star Varlamov winning out over Sergei Bobrovski of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Dynamo Moscow's Alexander Yeryomenko.
Bobrovski will back Varlamov up in the opening game at the Bolshoi Ice Dome, said Russia team spokesman Mikhail Zakharov.
This season, Varlamov is fourth in the NHL with 1,436 saves made in 46 games, while Bobrovski has a 2.52 goals against average and a .918 save percentage.
Yeryomenko, for his part, has led Dynamo to 22 wins in 27 games this season, registering a .932 save percentage and 1.84 goals against average.
Unspecified health issues have left him off the ice for the last six weeks, however.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
