Russian youth hockey team preserves its World Champion title

According to a the RIA Novosti correspondent, the Russian youth hockey team has preserved its World Champion title, having won in Halifax (3:2) the final match against the Canadian team, hosts of the World cup.

Charges of Rafail Ishmatov, prior to the beginning of the decisive third period were trailing behind, 1:2, but goals of Igor Grigorenko and Yuri Trubachev helped them win the second consecutive "gold" medal. In the course of the tournament, the Russian team never failed and won the six matches.

Last year the Russian team headed at that time by Vladimir Plyushev, the present coach of the national team, also outplayed Canadians in the finals (5:4). At the present World Cup they managed to repeat the success, this time in the competitor's territory.

Tournament organizers pronounced Canadian Marc-Andre Fleuri the best goalkeeper of the tournament, Finn Joni Pitkanen - the best defender and Russian Igor Grigorenko - the best forward (he shared the first place in the list of best scorers with 6 goals and 10 points).

The final results of the tournament are as follows: 1. Russia, 2. Canada, 3. Finland, 4. USA, 5. Slovakia, 6. Czech Republic, 7. Switzerland, 8. Sweden, 9. Germany, 10. Belarus The next World Youth hockey Cup will be held in Finland on December 25, 2003 - January 4, 2004.