Russia to meet Canadians again in final

Sunday, May 10, 2009 at 4:16 AM Posted by Beijing News


Defending champions Russia battled from a goal down to clinch a place in the final of the world ice hockey championship beating the United States 3-2 in the semi-final showdown here on Friday.

Atlanta Thrashers marksman Ilya Kovalchuk fired a goal and an assist, while Russian netminder Ilya Bryzgalov made 18 saves to put their side into the second consecutive world championship's final.

Sunday's final will be a replay of last year's trophy match as Russia will face Canada, who clinched a confident 3-1 win over the Swedes in the late semi-final.

The loss sent the Scandinavians into the bronze medal match with USA.

"I didn't do anything! It was Alexander Radulov who scored. The puck just hit my foot and went into the net," said Konstantin Gorovikov, who was named the Russians' winning goal scorer.

"It wasn't easy to play after the US went into the lead as they played very well today but luckily we managed to came back. It was Kovalchuk's great match. I'd say he put us into the final."

The USA outshot Russia 5-0 in the opening minutes but failed to find the net. Russia soon settled down and created a range of opportunities but also missed them all before the first break.

US team skipper Dustin Brown broke the deadlock 3:46 into the second beating Bryzgalov from close range between the pads after a mixup in the Russian defence.

Russia levelled through Kovalchuk, who wristed the puck in from the right face-off circle at 31:20.

Kovalchuk was the man who created Russia's second goal three minutes later, when he stole the puck from David Backes in his home zone and skated to the US net to net off a ricochet from teammate Alexander Frolov, who was credited with the goal.

But the Americans pulled to level at 2-2 through New York Islanders striker Kyle Okposo, who scored from Ron Hainsey's cross-ice pass on a powerplay with 1:57 remaining before the second break.

Alexander Radulov netted Russia's powerplay winner with an excellent wrister at 58:13 with a ricochet off Gorovikov.

USA substituted Robert Esche with the sixth field player with 1:19 to go, pinning Russia back in an attempt to level again but failed to save the day.

"It's a pity we didn't win, we played a very good game today," said US defender John Michael Liles.

"Hope we will be more lucky in the bronze medal match."

In the late game Buffalo Sabres forward Derek Roy put Canada 1-0 up against the Sweden 6:51 into the match beating 'keeper Jonas Gustavsson with a close-range sharp-angled shot.

The Swedes poured into attack seeking an equaliser but to no avail as Canada defended well with their goalie Dwayne Roloson in command of his net and threatening back on the counter-attacks before scoring their second on the half-hour mark through Shawn Horcoff.

In the third period Roloson lost a shoutout at 46:14 when Loui Eriksson of Dallas Stars netted a consolation for Sweden, but that remained scant consolation.



Kambayashi

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