Russia Defeats Turkey 42-0 in Ice Hockey at 2017 European Youth Olympic Festival

Turkey's run at the 2017 European Youth Olympic Festival got off to a rough start with a 42-0 defeat at the hands of Russia's ice hockey team Monday.

Per the Daily Sabah in Turkey, the Russians built some breathing room in the first period with a 15-0 lead before tacking on 27 more goals over the final two periods.

While the loss is an embarrassment for the Turkish team, especially since the festival is taking place in the northeastern Turkish city of Erzurum, there was a small silver lining thanks to the home crowd.

"Despite the poor score, the audience supported the home team until the end of the match, trying to show the young men that sports is all about competition, not winning," read the Daily Sabah piece.

Ice Hockey Federation president Bulent Akay attributed Turkey's rough performance to growing pains for a country still building an identity in the sport.

"This is the first time that the team has played against a world giant," Akay said, according to Anadolu Agency (h/t Hurriyet Daily News). "We will continue our path with these guys and form a successful national team in the future."

Russia has been a hockey powerhouse for decades, no matter what age group is playing. The country has churned out current NHL superstars like Alexander Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin.

Turkey, on the other hand, didn't have an organized national hockey league until 1993. There is a steep learning curve in any sport, with this defeat being an indication a lot more work is needed.