PROKHOROV SCORES TWICE TO LEAD RUSSIA TO FIFTH-PLACE FINISH

YARMOUTH, N.S. – Artyom Prokhorov opened and closed the scoring as Russia topped the Czech Republic 4-1 to earn fifth place at the 2012 World Junior A Challenge on Saturday afternoon.

It is the third year in a row the Russians have appeared in the fifth-place game, and the second they have finished fifth – they lost to Sweden in 2010 before beating the Czechs last year in Langley, B.C.

Arkhip Nekolenko and Ruslan Trubkin had the other goals for Russia, which earned two wins at this year’s tournament, both over the Czechs; they scored a 6-1 victory in the tournament’s opening game on Monday night.

Ivan Bocharov got his first start in the Russian goal and turned in a spectacular performance, finishing with 40 saves.

Lubos Rob scored the lone goal for the Czechs, who finished with the lowest-scoring offence in tournament history; Rob’s goal ended a scoring drought of 203:01 and was just the second scored by the team in four games.

Rene Svoboda took the loss in goal for the Czechs, stopping 29 of 32 shots.