MOSCOW, May 6 (RIA Novosti) - Forward Ilya Kovalchuk
put Russia ahead 4:3 against Belarus and into the semifinals of
the world ice hockey championships in Berne on Wednesday.
Belarus took the lead in the second period of the
quarterfinals with two goals from Ruslan Salei and Konstantin
Koltsov, before Russia's Vitaly Proshkin clawed one back in the
25th minute.
Eleven minutes later defenseman Vitaly Atyushov leveled
the game and within 30 seconds Alexander Frolov had put the
defending champions 3-2 ahead.
Russia barely had any time to enjoy their lead, however,
before Belarus' Salei got his second in the dying moments of
the period to level the score 3:3.
Seven minutes into the third period Ilya Kovalchuk's
strike put Russia ahead 4:3. They managed to hang onto the
narrow lead to put Belarus out of the tournament and will now
face either the U.S. or Finland who play each other later
tonight.
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