U18 Team Russia’s inaugural MHL season turned out to be quite successful. Vitaly Prokhorov’s side finished first in Central Division and looked poised to make a long run in the 2016 Kharlamov Cup Playoffs. In the first round U18 Team Russia will face a very serious opponent.

Krasnaya Armiya Moscow won the Kharlamov Cup in 2011 and is one of the main contenders for the trophy every year. As usually is the case, the red-and-blue show their true strength in the playoffs, while their regular season performance is mediocre at times.

 
As for U18 Team Russia, they didn’t get off to a slow start and clinched a playoff berth long before the end of the regular season. One of the key reasons for that success was their 11-game winning streak. After that endeavor Vitaly Prokhorov’s team clumbed on top of their division and didn’t let anybody edge them till the very end. Their main stars in the regular season were Artur Kayumov who got 31 points and German Rubtsov who registered 26 points.

However, it should be noted that all current successes aside, the main tournament of the season for U18 Team Russia will be held in USA this April – U18 IIHF World Championship. Krasnaya Armiya, coached by Mikhail Vasiliev, won the season series against U18 Team Russia as they took three games out of four.

Krasnaya Armiya is a seasoned cup contender. Along with Kharlamov Cup, that ‘the army men’ won in 2011, they also lost two final series – in 2012 to Omskie Yastreby and to MHC Spartak Moscow in the very memorable final of 2014. Their worst result came in 2012/2013 when Krasnaya Armiya did not make the playoffs. Last season the red-and-blue were swept from the playoffs in three games by future runners-up SKA-1946 St. Petersburg.

 
U18 Team Russia

In season 2015/2016 – 40 games, 25 wins in regulation, 1 overtime win, 1 shootout win, 9 losses in regulation, 2 overtime losses, 2 shootout losses. 83 points, 2^nd place in the Western Conference.

Goals: 145 for, 90 against.

Top-scorer: Artur Kayumov – 31 (12 goals and 19 assists) points

Top goal-scorer: Ivan Kosorenkov– 13 goals

Top-defenseman: Nikita Makeyev – 17 (6 goals and 11 assists) points

Starting goaltender: Mikhail Berdin – 22 games, 12 wins, GAA – 2.07, SV% – 92,8%

 
Krasnaya Armiya Moscow

In 2015/2016 season – 40 games, 18 wins in regulation, 3 overtime wins, 3 shootout wins, 13 losses in regulation, 3 shootout losses. 69 points, 7^th place in the Western Conference.

Goals: 117 for, 103 against.

Top-scorer: Ivan Silayev – 26 (7 goals and 19 assists) points

Top goal-scorer: Pavel Podluboshnov – 13 goals

Top-defenseman: Yegor Ogienko – 13 (5 goals and 8 assists) points

Starting goaltender: Alexander Samoilov – 25 games, 10 wins, GAA – 2.61, SV% – 90,1% 

Season Series

October 7^th, 2015. Zelenograd, Moscow Region, Russia. U18 Team Russia – Krasnaya Armiya – 2-5 (1-1, 0-4, 1-0)

October 8^th, 2015. Zelenograd, Zelenograd, Russia. U18 Team Russia – Krasnaya Armiya – 4-5 ОТ (3-1, 0-2, 1-1, 0-1)

January 26^th, 2016. Moscow, Russia. Krasnaya Armiya - U18 Team Russia – 4-3 (1-1, 1-1, 2-1)

January 27^th, 2016. Moscow, Russia. Krasnaya Armiya - U18 Team Russia – 2-5 (0-1, 2-3, 0-1)