Defending world champions Russia set up a revenge match against Olympic champions Canada on Tuesday after they thrashed Finland 5-0 to top qualifying Group E.
Atlanta Thrashers forward Maxim Afinogenov picked up a goal and an assist, while goalie Semyon Varlamov recorded a shutout to set up a meeting with Canada in the last eight — a replay of the quarter-final at the Olympics which the Canadians won 7-3 on their way to the gold.
The Finns started the match in lively style, pinning their rivals back and peppering Varlamov with shots, but Finland failed to find the net in the opening period, missing all of their chances including a two-man powerplay.
PHOTO: EPA
In the early Group E match, the hosts Germany secured their place in the knockout stages, beating the 2002 champions Slovakia 2-1.
Meanwhile, the Czech Republic, who needed a point in their Group F match with Canada to clinch a play-off place, battled back from a goal down to clinch a 3-2 win.
In the late Group F match, Sweden blanked 5-0 Switzerland to finish top of the table.
In today’s other quarter-finals, Finland will play the Czech Republic and Germany take on Switzerland, while Sweden face Denmark in the Scandinavian derby.
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
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