Photo: GingerHockey

Alex Ovechkin and Team Russia have won the IIHF World Championship. The Russians defeated Finland 5-2 in the gold medal game to win their fourth title since 2008. Russian captain Alex Ovechkin scored the game-tying goal. Nashville’ goaltender Pekka Rinne kept the Finns competitive, but the Russians feasted on the power play, scoring four of their five goals when a man up.

Sergei Shirokov (Avangard Omsk) and Iiro Pakarinen (HIFK of SM-liiga) each scored in the first period to keep the game tied. Finland went up in the second thanks to Ollio Palola (Tappara of SM-liiga), but Alex Ovechkin answered Finland’s go-ahead goal by tying it up soon after.

It was an uncommon Ovi goal– moving laterally in front of the goal mouth, the kind of thing you don’t often see from a scoring winger.

Evgeni Malkin put the Russians up with a power play goal of his own a few minutes later. Ovechkin liked it evidently.

Danis Zaripov (Metallurg Magnitogorsk) and Viktor Tikhonov ( SKA St. Petersburg/Coyotes prospect) compounded the lead with even more power play goals in the third period.

Russian coach Oleg Znarok was not on the bench, suspended for making a throat-slash gesture towards Sweden’s coaches in the semifinals. Znarok could be seen talking to… someone on a microphone during the game. Malkin’s goal seemed cathartic for him.

Caps forward Evgeny Kuznetsov did not get ice time in the game. Caps defender Dmitry Orlov missed the game with a broken arm.

Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne stopped 34 shots in the losing effort. Columbus’ Sergei Bobrovsky allowed just two goals in win.