RUSSIANS SURVIVE LATE CZECH PUSH TO EARN WIN, FIFTH PLACE

LANGLEY, B.C. – Alexander Barabanov’s goal midway through the second period stood up as the game-winner as Russia took home fifth place from the 2011 World Junior A Challenge following a 3-2 win over the Czech Republic on Saturday afternoon.

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With the victory, the Russians finished one spot higher than last year in Penticton, B.C., when they lost to Sweden in the fifth-place game.

Bogdan Yakimov and Daniil Yuryshev also scored goals for Russia, which led 3-0 and outshot the Czechs 27-17 through the first 40 minutes before the Czechs made it interesting in the third period.

Matej Zadrazil scored goals 2:16 apart just past the halfway point of the final frame, but the Czechs could not get the equalizer past Russian netminder Ivan Nalimov despite holding a 17-5 advantage in shots on goal in the third.

Nalimov finished with 32 saves, while Czech counterpart Marek Langhamer made 29 stops.

The Czech Republic, which beat Russia 4-3 in a preliminary round game on Tuesday, goes home from its first World Junior A Challenge with a sixth-place finish.

Penalties:
   07:19 CZE 20 Euvstathio Soumelidis (Hooking)

Penalties:
   02:22 CZE 20 Euvstathio Soumelidis (High Sticking)
   03:09 CZE 18 Matej Zadrazil (Cross Checking)
   18:06 RUS 18 Vyacheslav Osnovin (Tripping)

Penalties:
   02:46 CZE 15 Ondrej Slovacek (Tripping)
   09:47 RUS 8 Egor Malenkikh (Slashing)
   15:15 RUS 23 Alexander Barabanov (Unsportsmanlike Cnd.)
   15:15 CZE 20 Euvstathio Soumelidis (Hooking)