Russia is playing in Group A for the third time in four years and is hoping to play in its third consecutive bronze-medal game in the 2016 IIHF Women’s World Championship in Kamloops.
The European nation faced off against Finland in the third-place game in both 2015 in Malmö, Sweden, and 2013 in Ottawa, capturing the nation’s second world championship bronze in Canada’s capital.
Russia has won the bronze medal twice in women’s world championship action — the 2013 victory in Ontario and a 2001 win in Minneapolis.
On Friday, the Russians will play their first playoff game in Kamloops, a quarter-final matchup against Sweden, in hopes of booking a ticket to the semifinal round.
The nation has brought a mixture of youth and experience to Kamloops for the world championship and is a club that relies on technical skill, discipline and structure, according to head coach Mikhail Chekanov.
Veteran forwards Yekaterina Smolentseva and Tatyana Burina — 34 and 36 years old, respectively — wore the Russian uniform for both of the nation’s world championship bronze medals and have each taken part in four Olympic Winter Games.
But it’s assistant captain Iya Gavrilova, one of just four Russian players based in North America, who has led the nation offensively in Kamloops thus far.
The 28-year-old forward plays her university hockey for the Calgary Dinos of Canadian Interuniversity Sport and won the Canada West scoring race with 43 points, including 20 goals, in 28 games. She was also named the conference’s most valuable player.
Alexandra Vafina, Gavrilova’s 25-year-old teammate with both Russia and the Dinos, finished second in Canada West scoring with 35 points, including 14 goals, in 28 games.
Meanwhile, Olga Sosina, who led the Russian championship in scoring, and Alevtina Shtaryova, who has been playing professional hockey since she was 15, are also expected to contribute this weekend.
Defensively, captain Anna Shukina will lead the nation in its bid for a medal, as well as for Olympic qualification for the 2018 Games in PyeongChang, South Korea. Russia was ranked No. 6 in the world heading to Kamloops, with the top five teams — re-ranked after the world championship ends in Kamloops — heading directly to the Olympics, along with host Korea.
The world’s sixth- and seventh-place teams will play in further Olympic qualification tournaments.