The crafty pivot feathered a beautiful saucer pass to former Quebec Remparts teammate Nikita Kucherov for the game winning goal at 1:18 of the first period. It was the second time he connected with Kucherov in the tourney, with both goals coming on nearly identical plays. Grigorenko would later send a soft pass back to the point that was pounded in for a goal by Albert Yarullin to make it a 4-0 score. After three tourney tilts, Grigorenko has accumulated three helpers, two penalty minutes, a plus-three rating, and 16 shots on goal.
Following his masterful 41-save performance in Friday's win over the USA, goaltender Andrey Makarov was given the day off while Igor Ustinsky was tabbed to backup Tampa prospect Andrei Vasilevski.
With three wins and eight points in the tournament, Russia gets a day off before battling Canada in a game that will likely settle first place in Group B.
Elsewhere, Judd Peterson posted a career-best three points (1+2) as Cedar Rapids was defeated by Waterloo 7-4. The St. Cloud State commit scored his sixth goal of year, and first on the power play, at 11:46 of the opening period to give the Riders a 1-0 lead. Buffalo Jr. Sabres product Andrew Poturalski drew an assist on the play. Cedar Rapids closes the 2012 portion of the schedule Monday at Tri-City.
Colin Jacobs scored a goal and and assist as Prince George coughed up a three-goal third period lead in losing a 4-3 shootout decision at Victoria. Jacobs has five points in four outings since returning from a six-game suspension. Prince George completes a three games in three nights run Sunday in Vancouver. The Royals were playing without Logan Nelson, the team's second-leading scorer who injured his left leg in Friday's victory over the Cougars. His status going forward is still to be determined pending results of Saturday's medical exam.
In OHL action, Brady Austin assisted on the game winning goal as Belleville edged Kitchener 3-2. The 6-foot-4 defender has two goals and eight points in his last 11 games. Belleville begins a home-and-home series with Peterborough on Tuesday.
Justin Kea posted a power play assist in Saginaw's 8-3 pummeling of Windsor. The Spirit trailed 3-1 in the first minute of the second period before unleashing seven unanswered goals to get the victory. Saginaw next hits the road for a Monday tilt at Sault Ste. Marie.
In NCAA play, Christian Isackson posted a nice assist as Minnesota advanced to the final of the Mariucci Classic with a 4-0 win over Air Force. Isackson chased a loose puck down in the second period and quickly fed it to a crashing Ryan Reilly to give the Gophers a 2-0 lead. On Sunday, Minnesota will square off with Boston College, winners over Alabama-Huntsville in Saturday's opener, for the tourney title.
In the AHL, Marcus Foligno scored his 10th goal of the year and David Leggio earned the game's number two star with 27 saves, but Rochester dropped a 2-1 home-ice decision to Binghamton. The goal gives Foligno points in three straight games heading into Monday's matinee versus Hamilton.
The Rundown:
Foligno: G, +1, 3 SOG
Brennan: -1, 6 SOG, 4 PIM
McNabb: -1, 2 SOG
Flynn: A, +1
Girgensons: -2, SOG
Sundher: SOG
Gauthier-Leduc: SOG
Varone: -2, 2 SOG
Pysyk: even
Adam: even
