Olympic Hockey Schedule 2018: TV, Live Stream for Germany vs. Russian Athletes
The Olympic men's ice hockey version of David versus Goliath takes center stage Saturday night, when the Olympic Athletes from Russia square off against Germany in the gold-medal game.
The Russians came into Pyeongchang, South Korea, as the gold-medal favorite. And after an opening loss to Slovakia, they have looked the part.
Germany shocked us all with its victory over Sweden in the quarterfinals, but that was just the start of its impressive results. The Germans one-upped that win by knocking off Canada in the semifinals.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Although Germany carries a ton of momentum and confidence into Saturday's final, the Russians are the overwhelming favorite to capture gold.
Date: Saturday, February 24 (Event takes place on Sunday in Pyeongchang, South Korea)
Time: 11:10 p.m. ET
TV: NBCSN
Live Stream: NBCOlympics.com
Kovalchuk Should Be Star of Gold-Medal Game
The best player on either roster is Ilya Kovalchuk.
The former NHL star has featured in a key role for the Russians throughout the tournament, and he should move into the spotlight early in the gold-medal game.
Kovalchuk has found the back of the net on five occasions in five games, and he's expected to have the same impact as he tries to take advantage of the German defense.
Expect the Russians to be on the offensive from the start, much like they have been for most of the tournament since the loss to Slovakia.
The Olympic Athletes from Russia left no doubt against Slovenia and the United States to conclude group play, and they cruised to knockout-phase wins over Norway and the Czech Republic.
While Kovalchuk should be the focal point of the attack, he isn't the only threat who will wreak havoc in front of the German net.
Pavel Datsyuk, Nikita Gusev and Kirill Kaprizov bring extra dimensions to the Russian offense, and if Kovalchuk is shut down, one of those three players should be able to step up and take advantage of the gaps in the German defense.
Although Germany pushed through all sorts of obstacles to reach the gold-medal showdown, it has conceded seven goals in its three knockout-phase games, including three apiece to Sweden and Canada.
If that trend continues, the Russians should cruise to the gold since their defense has been phenomenal, with goaltender Vasili Koshechkin giving up just three goals in the past four games.
Continued Team Effort Needed from Germany
Regardless of what occurs Saturday, Germany has earned the respect of the international hockey community for its miraculous run to the gold-medal game.
Head coach Marco Sturm, who most notably played for the San Jose Sharks, found a way to get his players to believe in each other enough to take down two giants of the sport in Sweden and Canada.
Reaching the final becomes a more incredible achievement when you realize the Germans didn't even qualify for the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Beating the Russians will be their toughest task yet, and there's no guarantee the game will be close given the gap in talent.
If the Germans look to shut down Kovalchuk, it would open the door for a few other talented Russian attackers to score. And if they try to push the pace early, it may leave them exposed on breakaways.
No matter which way you break it down, the Germans are at a disadvantage, but they do have one important thing going for them.
The team spirit in the German squad is off the charts, and if Sturm rallies the players one more time, we could see a highly motivated team give it all on the ice and stay in the game heading into the third period.
Look for the 35-year-old Christian Ehrhoff to be front and center Saturday, with the other players on the roster benefiting from his wealth of NHL experience.
We are not saying it's impossible for Germany to win—that would be silly after what the team has done in the competition. But beating the Russians will require each German player to have the best game of his career.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
