2010-11 National Men's Under-18 Team

RUSSIA WINS BRONZE WITH 6-4 VICTORY OVER CANADA AT WORLD UNDER-18 CHAMPIONSHIP

CRIMMITSCHAU, Germany -Canada is coming home empty-handed from the world under-18 hockey championship.

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Nail Yakupov scored a hat trick as Russia denied Canada a medal with a 6-4 win in the bronze-medal gameSunday.

Canada led 2-1 until Russia exploded with four goals in the second period. Canada pulled goaltender AndrewD'Agostini late in the third and the move paid off when Brett Ritchie scored to make it a one-goal game. ButYakupov sealed the win with an empty-net goal in the dying seconds.

Canadian head coach Mike Williamson said the team had a tough time regrouping from a heartbreaking 5-4overtime loss to the United States on Saturday that knocked Canada out of gold-medal contention.

“It wasn't for a lack of trying,'' said Williamson. “I thought the guys gave a good effort. We had a goodpush and a surge at the end again. It just wasn't quite enough gas in the tank I think.''

Ryan Murphy, Alan Quine and Ryan Murray had the other goals for Canada, while D'Agostini made 27saves.

Nikita Kucherov scored twice and Vladimir Tkachev added one more for the Russians, who got a standoutperformance from goalie Andrei Vasilevski with 38 saves.

Williamson said Yakupov, who had 49 goals and 52 assists with the Ontario Hockey League's Sarnia Stinglast season, was the difference on the ice for Russia.

“(Yakupov) was very dynamic,'' said Williamson. “We had a tough time solving him. We tried to take thetime and space away. We tried to be physical on him. ... He's a good player, evasive and elusive, and becauseof that we weren't able to contain him.''

Kucherov gave Russia a 1-0 lead 11:36 into the first before Murphy's power-play goal tied the game sevenminutes later.

A second straight power-play goal by Quine put Canada up 2-1 early in the second before Russia's offencetook over. Yakupov scored his first goal at the 7:40 mark and Tkachev put Russia ahead 44 seconds later.

With Alexander Kuvayev serving a two-minute penalty for tripping, Yakupov scored a short-handed goal andKucherov added his second goal of the game five minutes later to give Russia a 5-2 lead.

Murray scored with the man advantage before the end of the second to make it a 5-3 game, but the damagewas done.

“It's obviously a tough loss,'' said Ritchie . “We didn't want to go home empty-handed and we fought rightto the end. It's a tough game. Couple bounces didn't go our way and that's what happens sometimes.''

The fourth-place finish is another disappointment for Canada, which placed seventh at last year's event inMinsk and Bobruisk, Belarus. Canada last won the gold in 2008.

Penalties:
   05:13 CAN 7 Daniel Catenacci (Slashing)
   18:23 RUS 14 Maxim Shuvalov (Elbowing)

Penalties:
   01:26 RUS   (Too Many Men)
   02:08 RUS 9 Nikita Nesterov (Hooking)
   08:53 RUS 27 Alexander Kuvaev (Tripping)
   14:52 CAN 6 Scott Harrington (Interference)
   17:53 RUS 11 Roman Konkov (Tripping)

Penalties:
   10:56 CAN 8 Cody Ceci (Holding)