Russia's hockey team is not resting on its laurels after storming through its world championships group winning all seven games, team coach Valery Belov told RIA Novosti on Wednesday.
The Russians face Norway in Thursday's quarterfinal in scintillating form after topping Group B, and have added reinforcements in NHL pair Alex Ovechkin and Alexander Semin after their team, the Washington Capitals, crashed out of the NHL playoffs.
Nevertheless, head coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov is taking nothing for granted, Belov said.
"We have no euphoria about our good performance," Belov said. "Of course, Zinetula Khaidarovich thanked the guys, he said that we passed the first stage and our work will now be evaluated on the playoffs."
Norway was one of Russia's victims in the group stage, with goals from Alexander Perezhogin and Evgeni Malkin eventually steering the team to a 4-2 victory.
"No doubt the game against Norway will be a hard and serious one," Belov said.
He denied that the Russians had got lucky by facing the Norwegians instead of the Czechs, who would have been the opponents had they finished fourth and not third in the group.
"We should by no means think that they are weaker than the Czechs. All the guys understand it and we prepare seriously. The group match against Norway was very difficult."
Norway has reached the world championship quarterfinals for only the third time in its history, and last year's appearance at that stage in Bratislava, Slovakia, was the first since 1951.
Russia, which beat Norway twice last year during the Eurochallenge competition, is hunting its first world title since 2009.
