MOSCOW, December 21 (R-Sport) – Two late goals brought Finland a 3-2 win over Russia Saturday on the Euro Hockey Tour in Sochi, the last warm-up event ahead of next year’s Olympic Games.
The Finns extended their lead in the overall table for this season's Tour, which now stands at seven points over second-placed Russia, following a tense finish to the game.
Salavat Yulaev Ufa wing Teemu Hartikainen gave the Finns a 2-1 lead with 90 seconds left in the third period, hitting the puck in mid-air as it flew over goaltender Konstantin Barulin off a deflected shot by Anssi Salmela.
Then, Juha-Pekka Hytonen hit an empty-net goal that turned out to be the winner, as former New Jersey Devils star Ilya Kovalchuk scored for Russia from a narrow angle just one second before the buzzer.
"We're very happy that we managed to get a win over the Russians on their ice," Finland goaltender Atte Engren said. "We were trying today to play as a unified team. All our players wanted to be at their peak."
Russia had dominated in the first period, but the Finns scored first, when wing Olli Palola sent the puck into the unguarded corner off Pekka Jormakka’s hidden pass early in the second.
The hosts tied the game when SKA St. Petersburg defenseman Maxim Chudinov, who scored two goals in a 3-2 win over Sweden on Thursday, hit the left top corner, converting a five-on-three power play.
Russia coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov was unhappy with his players, who he said had been "obliged to win" against the Finns. "Why we're not scoring is an issue," he added.
The Bolshoy Ice Dome, the 12,000-seat venue that will host the Olympic tournament in February, hosts a game between Sweden and the Czech Republic later Saturday.
The Euro Hockey Tour is a rolling four-stage event that is held among the four nations and which is usually used to introduce younger Europe-based players to the national team. NHL players do not participate.
