Russia should expect Norway to give star center Evgeni Malkin some rough treatment when the two countries face off in their world championship quarterfinal, coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov said Wednesday.
Russia defeated a determined Norway team 4-2 in the group stage, with Malkin notching up two assists as Russia dominated 46-21 on shots.
“We should be ready for that,” Bilyaletdinov said when asked whether he thought Pittsburgh Penguins center Malkin would be a target.
“We should be playing rough, they should be playing rough. It’s a knock-out match.”
The match will pit together the group stage’s two highest scorers in Malkin, who has a 14-point haul from seven games, and Norwegian wing Patrick Thoresen, who has amassed 16 points, six of them in a 12-4 demolition of Germany.
Russia finished top of its group with seven wins from seven games, while Norway was fourth with four wins, one overtime loss and two regulation losses.
