Follow Live: Russia upsets Canada on New Year's Eve, wins Group A

Supremacy in Group A is on the line with Canada and Russia meeting on New Year’s Eve at the World Junior Hockey Championship in Vancouver.

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With another quick strike, it looked as though Canada was off and running once again at the 2019 World Junior Hockey Championship. But after answering Cody Glass’s 1-0 goal swiftly with one of its own, Russia stymied the Canadian offence from there en route to an upset 2-1 win, wresting the top spot in Group A away from its long-time rivals.

Pavel Shen delivered the decisive goal for Russia with nine minutes remaining in the third period, while Pyotr Kochetkov was brilliant, making 30 saves for the victory.

Russia earns a quarterfinal date with Slovakia, while Canada will now have to go through the United States-Finland-Sweden trifecta to defend its gold medal from last winter.

Here’s the rundown from Monday’s New Year’s Eve showdown.

First Period

Canada strikes inside five minutes once again in this all-important Group stage finale. With possession exchanging hands on a scrambled face-off, Owen Tippett is able to poke a puck into space for Cody Glass to one-touch past Russian goalie Pyotr Kochetkov.

Not long after though, the Russians convert on a power-play opportunity to tie the game after Morgan Frost was sent to the box for an illegal check. It was Grigori Denisenko providing the finish, digging a cross-zone feed out of his feet and inside the near post after the Russians had gained entry of the zone.

It appears that Canadian captain Max Comtois is no longer fooling the officials. Falling to the ice after a short cross check from his captain counterpart Kim Kostin, Comtois was sent to the box for embellishment, his second penalty of the night.

Kostin wasn’t impressed:

Second Period

It ended with a feverish Canadian flurry, but also without a single goal scored. It’ll be high drama headed to the third period with Canada and Russia knotted at one.

Third Period

At last, after 11 minutes had elapsed in the third period, we finally have a breakthrough. Pavel Shen catches the Canadians — and in particular Evan Bouchard — napping with an outwardly-harmless solo drive deep in the attacking zone. He was able to sweep across the face of goal before Bouchard could react to give the Russians the 2-1 lead.

Shen’s goal hands the Canadians their first deficit of the tournament.

Michael DiPietro gave Canada a chance late, thwarting two breakaways in the late stages of the contest, but Canada failed to find an equalizer after he gave himself up for an extra attacker.

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