SOCHI — Russia stormed into the final of the Sochi Paralympic sledge hockey tournament Thursday with a confident 4-0 victory over heavyweight Norway.
Now assured of at least a silver medal in its first Paralympic appearance, the Russian team was in total control against five-time medalist Norway at a packed and raucous Shayba Arena in Sochi's Olympic Park, outshooting the Scandinavians 20-6.
In Saturday's final, Russia will face either Canada or reigning gold medalist, the U.S., which the Russians beat 2-1 in the preliminaries.
Norway will go into the bronze medal game Saturday morning aiming not to miss the Paralympic top three for the first time in sledge hockey's 20-year history at the Games.
Russia ended the first period with a 2-0 lead with goals from Dmitry Lisov, who shot topshelf from the crease over prone Norwegian goaltender Kristian Buen, and Alexei Amosov.
Forward Konstantin Shikhov pulled the strings for Russia on the ice, claiming assists on both of the first-period goals as well as Nikolai Terentyev's goal early in the third period, which put the result beyond doubt.
In the last minute of the game, Yevgeny Petrov made it 4-0 with an empty net goal.
Goaltender Vladimir Kamantsev stopped all six Norwegian shots for his second tournament shutout. Kamantsev started the Paralympics as Russia's backup but became the starter after Mikhail Ivanov allowed three goals in the host nation's opening defeat to South Korea.
President Vladimir Putin has told Paralympic leaders that Russia was not "an instigator" of the Crimea crisis and thanked them for keeping politics out of the Winter Paralympics in Sochi.
Putin spoke to national Paralympic association officials Thursday in the midst of a Games that has been overshadowed by pro-Russian forces taking over Ukraine's nearby Crimea peninsula.
Putin did not name Ukraine but said he was referring to the "complicated circumstances which you all know about very well."
Putin said through a translator: "I would like to assure you that Russia did not initiate, it was not an instigator, of these difficult circumstances."
Several Western nations declined to send official delegations to the Paralympics opening ceremony last week, but Putin thanked the sports leaders for "staying out of politics." (AP)
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
