Team Russia faced Team Finland in an exciting game at the 2018 U18 IIHF World Championship, which is held in Chelyabinsk and Magnitogorsk, and lost 5-4.

Finnish side opened up the scoring just under five minutes in – Kotkaniemi centered it from behind the net, Nordgren took a shot and Amir Miftakhov couldn’t do anything about it. Russia got back even pretty soon. Zhuravlyov put the puck on net, Annunen gave up a juicy rebound right in front of him and Alexander Zhabreyev buried the rebound. Home team managed to capitalize on their initial powerplay of the game and grabbed the lead. Zhuravlyov made a stretch pass to Kirill Marchenko, who gained the zone and beat Annunen. However, the teams still went to the dressing-rooms for the first intermission tied on the scoreboard. Honka took a shot from the blue line, Miftakhov stopped it but Kristian Tanus scored on the follow-up chance.

Russia scored twice in the 2^nd period of play. First Ivan Morozov sniped one from a face-off circle to put his team back in the lead and one minute later exactly Pavel Dorofeyev picked up the puck, skated to Annunen’s goal and sent it in. Team Finland got a goal back right before the intermission as they converted on a powerplay. Nevassari threw the biscuit in the slot from behind the net and Ranta jammed it home.

The Finns won the 3^rd stanza. At 47-20 Tanus took a shot from mid-range, Miftakhov made a save but Seppala was first on the rebound. Niklas Nordgren set the final score at 52-55. Kokkenen put the puck on net from the blue line, Nordgren got his stick on it and it ended up behind the goal-line. Finland win 5-4.

With these three points, Finland are now 1^st in Group B.

U18 IIHF World Championship. Group В

Finland – Russia – 5-4 (2-2, 1-2, 2-0)

1-0 – Nordgren (Kotkaniemi, Kakko) – 04-52

1-1 – Zhabreyev (Dorofeyev, Zhuravlyov) – 06-09

1-2 – Marchenko (Zhuravlyov) – 08-12 PPG

2-2 – Tanus (Honka, Ranta) – 11-29

2-3 – Morozov (Zhuravlyov, Marchenko) – 35-54 PPG

2-4 – Dorofeyev (Marchenko, Zhabreyev) – 36-55

3-4 – Ranta (Nevassari, Kotkaniemi) – 39-51 PPG

4-4 – Seppala (Tanus) – 47-20

5-4 – Nodrgren (Kokkonen, Kotkaniemi) – 52-55

Goaltenders: Annunen - Miftakhov

Team Russia will first Team Slovakia in their next game, which will take place on April 24^th.