Russia's Big Red Machine ready to roll

Russian ice hockey legend Vladislav Tretiak insisted Tuesday the team were fully aware of the need to make amends for their dismal showing at the 2010 Olympics, calling on them to rediscover the spirit of Sarajevo. The much-vaunted Russians -- among the favourites in Sochi -- were dismantled 7-3 by Canada in an embarrassingly one-sided contest in the Vancouver Games quarter-finals -- drawing stinging criticism at home. Now the expectations have been ratcheted up a level with enormous pressure to win Olympic gold on home ice. "We remember the Vancouver Olympics and we know we have a lot of responsibility and a lot to answer for," said Tretiak, who is president of the Ice Hockey Federation of Russia and a three-time gold medallist. "Ice hockey is extremely popular in Russia. "We are on our home turf. We will fight for the result in every match." Star player Alexander Ovechkin said the team, which finished sixth in 2010, were desperate to be the first to take gold since the fall of the Soviet Union. "When we lost to Canada it was a big failure for us," Ovechkin said. "I hope we will play in the finals. That is our main task, to fight for the gold." Tretiak reminded fans that after the Soviet Union won silver behind the United States in 1980 in Lake Placid they rebounded four years later to take gold in Sarajevo. "In 1980 it was a good lesson for us," said Tretiak, who along with former figure skater Irina Rodnina lit the cauldron at the Sochi opening ceremony. "It taught us you have to respect your opponent. We did not have respect for the Americans at the time. In 1984 we managed to rectify our mistake." Russian coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov said he would not put up with the petty squabbles and infighting that have blighted Russian teams at previous international events. Asked how he would juggle the competing demands of a clutch of superstars, Bilyaletdinov said: "I told them they are all going to get five minutes (a game)." Forward Pavel Datsyuk attended Tuesday's news conference after not skating in Monday's practice. Canada's coach Mike Babcock, who is also the coach of Datsyuk's Detroit Red Wings NHL team, said Monday the Russian star was not 100 percent fit. But Datsyuk said he should be ready to play in Russia's opening game against Slovenia on Thursday. "Everything is fine with my injury," Datsyuk said. "It doesn't bother me at all. Babcock is not my concern right now." Source: AFP