Russia beats Finland to finish 3rd at ice hockey worlds

Team of Russia poses with the trophy after winning the Ice Hockey World Championships bronze medal match between Russia and Finland in the LANXESS arena in Cologne, Germany, Sunday, May 21, 2017. (Petr David Josek/AP)

COLOGNE, Germany — Nikita Kucherov sealed a 5-3 win for Russia in the bronze medal match against Finland at the ice hockey world championship on Sunday.

"It’s not the medal we wanted," Russia head coach Oleg Znarok said.

Nikita Gusev scored twice and quick-fire goals from Vladimir Tkachyov (short-handed) and Bogdan Kiselevich put the Russians in command.

Mikko Rantanen, then Mikko Lehtonen and Veli-Matti Savinainen dragged Finland back in the final period, with Savinainen scoring on a power play after Gusev was penalized for high sticking.

But Kucherov threw himself at his own rebound after Harri Sateri saved to seal the Russians’ triumph, consolation of sorts for their semifinal loss to Canada on Saturday.

Canada and Sweden were playing the final later, with the Canadians going for three titles in a row.

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