EDMONTON, Alberta – Marat Khusnutdinov scored a power-play goal with 5.6 seconds left in overtime, and Russia beat Sweden 4-3 in the world junior hockey championship on Wednesday.

Khusnutdinov was a second-round draft pick by the Wild in this year's NHL draft.

Russia ended Sweden's 54-game winning streak in the preliminary round. The Swedes last lost in the group stage to the United States 3-2 on Dec. 31, 2006 — also in overtime.

Earlier, Samuel Helenius scored twice and Finland beat Slovakia 6-0 on Wednesday to improve to 3-0 in group play. Finland set up a showdown with defending champion Canada, also 3-0, on Thursday for first place in Group A. Germany beat Switzerland 5-4 to advance to the playoff round for the first time.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Russia’s Vasili Podkolzin (19) and Semyon Chistyakov (6) celebrated with Marat Khusnutdinov after the second-round draft pick of the Wild beat Sweden with an overtime goal Wednesday. (JASON FRANSON • Canadian Press via AP/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Russia’s Marat Khusnutdinov (22) scores a goal against Sweden goalie Jesper Wallstedt (1) during overtime of an IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship game Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP) (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Russia’s Marat Khusnutdinov (22) reacts to the team’s goal against Sweden goalie Jesper Wallstedt (1) during the third period of an IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship game Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP) (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

about the writer

More from Sports

Vikings