This past weekend the Russian Mens National Ice Hockey Team won the Channel One Cup which is the second stage on the Euro Hockey Tour. The tour consists of the national teams from Russia, Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic and has four events in which each team plays host once. Shortly after Russia ended the weekend undefeated, former international russian legend Vladislav Tretiak was asked if Russia could contend with the Canadians in the 2014 Winter Olympics.

“Beating the Canadians? Why not?” Tretiak said. “This team can win. With slick, clinical and stable play, of course it can. There are mistakes, and the team is not finalized, it’s hard to predict who’ll play in Sochi. But the team has its signature, and the players are maintaining the correct course.” -Vladislav Tretiak

**Although winning the Channel One Cup means absolutely nothing compared to an Olympic Medal, it is a step in the right direction for a Russian national team that finished 6th in the 2010 Olympics. The Russians need to build as much confidence and momentum as possible heading into the 2014 Olympics where as the hosts they will have added pressure to redeem their 7-3 Quarterfinal loss to the Canadians in 2010 and bring home the Gold.

**On paper, Russia has the talent to compete with any other national team and is definitely in the mix for the gold medal in 2014. Stars such as Alexander Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin, and Ilya Kovalchuk will be under heavy pressure from the home crowd, but that might be just what this Russian team needs. Often time russian stars are accused of taking shifts off or not playing two-way hockey: Ovechkin was benched for this in Washington, Malkin is often criticized for playing one way and Alexander Radulov has continually struggled with discipline problems with the Nashville Predators. Added pressure from the home crowd may just be the fire this Russian National Team needs to push past the Canadians and return to their previous form of international dominance.