11.03 Russia Stuns US for 2-1 Victory in Sochi Sledge Hockey

SOCHI, March 11 (R-Sport) – Russia’s underdog sledge hockey team stunned the United States in a 2-1 win at the Sochi Paralympics on Tuesday amid sporting and political tension between the two countries.

The result ensures Russia qualifies for the semifinals as group winner in its first Paralympics, while the US, the 2010 gold medalist, faces a tough semifinal against Group A winner Canada.

The game came a month after the American Olympic team beat Russia 3-2 in a controversial match in which a Russian goal was disallowed, sparking claims of a conspiracy among senior political figures in the Sochi host nation.

It also comes as Russia and the US square off over the future of the Crimean peninsula, a region of Ukraine.

The Russians seemed overawed at the start of Tuesday’s game, at one stage going 10-0 down on shots, making the near-capacity crowd at the Shayba Arena restless.

That all changed late in the first period when poor US discipline led to two US penalties and gave the Russians a five-on-three advantage.

As the Americans tried to keep the puck against the boards, that left space in front of goal for Ilya Volkov, who received a pass from Dmitry Lisov and buried it in the top-left corner.