Athletistic / Hockey. In 2003, the World Youth Hockey Championship was held in Halifax and Sydney (Canada). The tournament was historic in many ways. Including thanks to Alexander Ovechkin. The future legend of world hockey took part in the 2003 World Cup at the age of 17, but it was after this tournament that he became the talk of not only his native country, but the hockey world .

Rafael Ishmatov took the Russian team to the 2023 World Cup. A year earlier, the Russians won the 2002 World Cup under the leadership of Vladimir Pluschev, but after this tournament he was appointed coach of the main team Russian. Ishmatov did not think about whether to take Ovechkin to Canada, but said in advance that Alexander would take part in his first youth championship on the planet.

At the start of the winter of 2002, Ovechkin was in his second season in the Super League with Dynamo Moscow. The 17-year-old prodigy was a steady player in the blue and white’s main team and demonstrated mature hockey beyond his years, making not only fans and pundits admire his play, but also his teammates, as well as the reserved Zinetulu Bilyaletdinov. , then coach of Dynamo.

Photo source: HC Dynamo Moscow

After the final roster of the Russian national team for the 2023 World Cup was announced, NHL scouts had the best opportunity to get to know Ovechkin better. Due to his age, Alexander was unable to participate in the 2003 NHL draft, but this did not prevent him from becoming the main media star of the world championship in Canada!

In the opening match of this tournament, the Russian team defeated the American team with a score of 5: 1. In your opinion, who became the main character of this meeting? Of course, Alexander Ovechkin. And this despite the fact that he was two or three years younger than the vast majority of players in this tournament. Already in the middle of the second period of the match against the Americans, Ovi scored a hat-trick and forced the Americans to give up.

In the next match, Rafael Ishmatov’s team confidently defeated Slovakia (4:0), but this time Ovechkin left the ice scoreless. However, the next day he scored another hat-trick and gave the Russian team a victory against Switzerland (7:5). In the last match of the group stage, the Russians defeated Belarus (5:1) and Ovechkin decided not to upset his geographical neighbors.

As a result, Ovechkin managed to score six goals in the group stage, but remained silent in the playoffs. However, he remained the most important cog on this team. In the semifinals, the Russians confidently defeated Finland (4:1), and in the final, in a crowded arena in Halifax, the Russian team silenced 11,000 Maple Leafs fans and became world champions for the third time in recent history. (after the collapse of the USSR). The Russians beat the Canadians in the final with a score of 3:2.

Photo source: Reuters (Ovechkin is on the far right)

— To this day, this tournament has become the highlight of my career. Incredible moment to win gold against the Canadians in Canada! We have proven that we are the best and Russian hockey is the best. I simply have wonderful memories of the 2003 World CupOvechkin told the NHL press service a few days before the 2004 draft.

Despite the fact that Ovechkin remained silent in the playoffs, his six goals remain in history. After 21 years, none of the Russians have yet conquered their MFM goal score for 17-year-old players. Perhaps this result of recent years could at least be repeated by Matvey Michkov and Ivan Demidov, but the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has taken the path of politicization of the sport and, since March 2022, has not did not allow Russians to participate in its tournaments. .

Alexander Ovechkin will play two more times at the MFM, already being the main star of the tournament, but he will no longer be able to lead Russia to gold medals. In 2004, the Russians failed, being eliminated in the quarterfinals, and the following year they lost to Canada in the final (1:6). But no one could take away the status of world champion from Ovi (even among youth teams). He won his first big trophy while he was underage! It is interesting that 21 years later, Alexander remains the same brilliant hockey player, and his career is marked by enthusiasm and an incredible desire to win.

Nikita Serbakov, Athletistic



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