Evgeni Malkin promoted to top Russian power play unit ahead of elimination round

Ahead of the host sides qualification round game against Norway on Tuesday the Russian men's ice hockey team held practice on Monday in Sochi. The practice was mostly focussed on the Russian power play, however, head coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov also unveiled some new line combinations.

According to Yahoo! Sports reporter Dmitri Chesnokov, Alex Semin has been bumped off of Russia's top-line with Evgeni Malkin and Alexander Ovechkin and will join Artem Anisimov and Nikolai Kulemin on Russia's third forward group. Semin's slot will be filled by 33-year-old Omsk Avangard forward Alexander Popov, who has played excellent hockey on Russia's fourth-line at the tournament.

Meanwhile on special teams, Evgeni Malkin has joined the top power-play unit in place of Alexander Radulov. Russia had been employing a balanced look at five-on-four throughout the tournament (both Ilya Kovalchuk and Malkin had been on the ostensible "second unit"), but look to have abandoned it.

The Russian power-play has converted on two goals in 13 opportunities at the tournament so far, which isn't bad. But more might be expected out of a power-play unit with personnel like this:

Just terrifying.