After a rather hectic start to the IIHF World Championship final between Russia and Canada, the Russians threatened to take over completely as Canada's Doan took a minor penalty three minutes into the match. At that stage, it was Canadian goalie, 40-year-old Roloson, that kept them in the match. Doan had just come back onto the ice when he played a puck behind his back to Spezza who had no problem finding the net. The equalizer came after thirteen minutes with the Russians playing 5 on 4 after Coburn had been sent to the penalty bench. Atyushov loaded a cannon from the blue line that Saprykin managed to get his stick to and deflect the puck into the net.

The second period started with end to end stuff, both teams having periods of pressure on their opponent's goal. After 14.30 of the second period Russia's Radulov got the puck on the Canadian blue, deked one Canadian, got Roloson down on the ice and could easily place the puck into the back of the net. Straight after the goal, Zinoviev was penalised for what looked like a very slight touch on the Canadian goaltender. Canada had a number of goal chances 5 on 4 without making it count but kept the pressure up for the rest of the period.

Canada opened the third period pressing on the Russian defence, which played well and soaked it up. Lombardi almost found a way through four minutes into the period but the puck got stuck under the diving Korneyev. The period was one long attack on the Russian goal, except for a couple of minutes midway through the period, but the Russians played a compact defence and kept the marauding Canadians out. Just over a minute from time, the Canadians pulled Roloson and intensified their pressure. Panic ensued on the Russian goal with six seconds left, or was it seven, or eight? The Canadians wanted two seconds added to the clock, I think they got one but it wasn't enough, Russia fought back in the following face-off and the clock counted down to give them their second gold in two years, beating Canada in the final both years.