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The first 14 minutes of the second period of the Russia-Czech Republic match was far more conservative than the first. Shots were 9 to 7 in favor of the Czechs. Penalties favored the Czechs, too.

Little urgency until the 14:34 when the Czechs, sitting back some in their zone, were victimized by Viktor Kozlov’s initiative. The former N.H.L. star combined with two of his K.H.L. compatriots. Kozlov rushed into the Czech zone from the left side with the puck, leaving it off for Sergei Fedorov, who ushered it to Kozlov’s Salayat Yulayev Ufa teammate Alexander Radulov. He had to fight to keep the puck before returning it to Kozlov whose strong move to the goal was too much for the lunging Tomas Vokoun.

It was savvy play from Kozlov to recognize the opening (the Czech defense was out of sorts) and classic play from Fedorov, reminiscent of his time with the Detroit Red Wings. Fedorov, credited with an assist, had two helpers against Latvia in Russia’s opening game. He played little in Game 2 against Slovakia and sat out practice on Friday with an undisclosed injury.

But there was no keeping the 40-year-old center out of this game.

“I think it’s the finals tomorrow,” he said on Saturday. “For us, I personally think it’s the final and we have to play that hockey that we have talked about before.”

Down a goal, the Czechs rediscovered their speed. Jaromir Jagr tried to assert himself, drawing jeers from the Russian fans each time he touched the puck.

Defenseman Tomas Kaberle of the Toronto Maple Leafs was active, and Patrick Elias, Tomas Plekanec and Martin Havlat pressed forward often, clocking the most ice time. They’ve been the most reliable players for the Czechs.

Two late power plays provided the Czechs with their best chances; they mustered 9 shots in the period. Only two or three truly tested Evgeni Nabokov. They’ll need more chances if they want to see the red light again. — Jeffrey Marcus

Vancouver, BC (Sports Network) – Evgeni Malkin scored two goals, including the game-winner early in the third period, and picked up an assist, as Russia doubled up the Czech Republic, 4-2, to earn the Group B title and a bye into the quarterfinals.

Viktor Kozlov and Pavel Datsyuk also tallied for the Russians, who rebounded from Thursday’s shootout loss to Slovakia and finished with seven points in the preliminary round.

Evgeni Nabokov made 23 saves for Russia.

Tomas Plekanec and Milan Michalek lit the lamp for the Czechs. Tomas Vokoun allowed three goals on 31 shots to take the loss, the first in the Olympic tournament for the 1998 gold medalists after wins over Slovakia and Latvia.

Michalek hammered home a Marek Zidlicky feed past Nabokov to trim the deficit to 3-2 with 5:09 to play in regulation. The Czechs continued to press for the equalizer, pulling Vokoun for an extra skater, but Datsyuk’s empty-net marker sealed the win with 12.3 seconds remaining.

Malkin staked the Russians to a 1-0 lead on the power play. Vokoun made the initial stop on Sergei Gonchar’s blast from the point, but couldn’t track the rebound as it got lost in a maze of skates. Malkin eventually jumped on a loose puck to Vokoun’s left and whipped a shot through the goaltender’s arm and torso at 15:13 of the opening frame.

Plekanec drew the Czechs even with a 5-on-3 power-play goal with 53.6 seconds remaining in the first period. Kozlov fired a shot under the glove and past the right pad of Vokoun to break the tie with 5:26 left in the middle stanza.

Russia led 3-1 when Malkin one-timed a pass from Alexander Semin at 1:49 of the third. A bone-rattling check by Alexander Ovechkin on the Czechs’ Jaromir Jagr in the neutral zone preceded the tally.
source: http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=olymp/news/news.aspx?id=4291640