Russian hockey team hungry for Olympic gold - Malkin

Stanley Cup winner Yevgeny Malkin said the Russian ice hockey team is hungry for Olympic gold in Vancouver and is set to get it.

"There are not many Olympic champions in our team and everyone is hungry for this gold and set to win nothing else but this gold," the Russian forward, who also plays for NHL Pittsburg Penguins, said.

The Russian hockey team held on Monday its first training session in Canada.

Russia's Reigning Olympic Champion in Figure Skating Yevgeny Plushenko attended the session as a spectator to support his fellow countrymen.

The Russian 2010 national Olympic team, which includes 14 players from the National Hockey League (NHL) and nine from the Continental Hockey League (KHL), will play its first game of the tournament against Latvia on February 16.

The Russian squad is led again by Coach Vyacheslav Bykov, who is already being talked of as a coaching great.

With Russia clinching 2008 and 2009 world titles playing both times in the final games against Canada, many hockey fans and experts hope that the teams will meet again in the final of the 2010 Olympics.

VANCOUVER, February 16 (RIA Novosti)