MOSCOW, May 5 (R-Sport) - A hat-trick from New Jersey Devils forward Ilya Kovalchuk brought Russia a 4-1 win over Germany on Sunday at the 2013 IIHF (International Ice Hockey Federation) World Championships in Helsinki.
Reigning champion Russia now tops the Helsinki-based preliminary round group with six points from two wins, while Germany remains sixth in the standings with one point earned in a 4-3 overtime defeat to Finland.
"It was a tough game and we were prepared for that," Russia’s coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov said. "Unfortunately, we don't always start games well. Maybe it's a matter of psychology. But, the result is the most important thing and we are moving on. "
New Jersey Devils wing Kovalchuk scored his first of the game on 23:20, sending the puck into the left top corner after a perfectly-weighed assist by defenseman Evgeny Medvedev.
The second was simple as he converted a pass from behind the net by former Nashville Predators forward Alexander Radulov seven minutes later.
Forward John Tripp brought Germany back in the game on 45:03 tipping in the puck from the crease on a power play.
Then Kovalchuk registered a hat-trick with 100 seconds to the buzzer, when Radulov made him another sweet pass after a beautiful solo drive.
Denis Kokarev set the final score with an empty-net goal on 59:40.
Bilyaletdinov made only one change in the roster after the opening 6-0 win over Latvia, favoring Colorado Avalanche goaltender Semyon Varlamov, who made 26 saves.
Kovalchuk is now the tournament's top goalscorer with four.
"Germany is a good team," Kovalchuk said. "They played attacking hockey, tried to give us as little space as possible and hit us at the first opportunity. It's always difficult to play against such an opponent, moreover we had too many penalties today."
Earlier in the day, France defeated Austria 3-1 and Belarus pulled out a 4-3 win over Slovenia.
