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Team Russia's Vladimir Tarasenko scores a goal on Team Czech Republic goalie Alexander Pechursky during third period preliminary world junior hockey championship action in Regina, Sask., Thursday, Dec. 31, 2009. Russia won by 5-2. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Geoff HoweGEOFF HOWE/The Canadian Press

Vladimir Tarasenko had two goals and an assist to help Russia beat the Czech Republic 5-2 in world junior championship action Thursday.

The win earns Russia (3-1) a spot in the quarter-finals in Saskatoon while the loss drops the Czechs (1-3) into the tournament's relegation round.

Russia opened scoring in the first during a power play when Alexander Burmistrov drew Czech goalie Jakub Sedlacek down and out of position then dished off to Vladimir Tarasenko who buried it in the empty side.

Midway through the second Russia made it 2-0 with a similar goal when Nikita Filatov drew the Czech defenders towards him then slid to puck over to Kirill Petrov for a one-timer into the open side.

The Czechs responded on the power play following a near goal in their own end when Tomas Knotek made a perfect stretch pass the other way to Jan Kana who then scored on the breakaway.

Czech Stepan Novotny then tied the game up 14:01 into the third but Russia got the goal right back less than a minute later when Tarasenko scored his second of the night on a two-on-none breakaway.

Russia added two more in the last two minutes to down the Czechs for good.

Igor Bobkkov made 39 stops for the win while Sedlacek stopped 19.

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