Hat-trick from Kosov highlights Russian rout of Germany

Yaroslav Kosov scored a natural hat-trick, all in the third period, as Russia cruised to a 7-0 win over Germany.

After falling behind early against both Canada and the United States, the Germans were hoping to get off to a better start but despite being the host nation, Russia was less than hospitable in that regard.

They took a 1-0 lead just 78 seconds into the game as Russia broke into the German zone in a two-on-one where Mikhail Grigorenko feathered a saucer pass over the stick of a defender to Nikita Kucherov for the one-time finish.

Russian captain Nail Yakupov -- playing in his 10th career World Junior game -- finally scored his first goal, breaking out of the Russian zone, dropping a pass back for Alexander Khokhlachyov just over the blue line and then burying the rebound after Khokhlachyov fired a slapshot on target.

Yakupov would help give Russia a 3-0 lead in the first intermission when he slid a back-handed pass from the red line across the mouth of the German goal for Danil Zharkov, who banked it into the net off the pad of Marvin Cupper.

Defenseman Albert Yarullin scored his third goal in three games in the second period before Kosov rounded out the scoring with his trio of third period goals, the final one coming short-handed.

Andrei Vasilevski was solid in the Russian goal again, as he stopped all 41 shots he faced. In three games, the Russians have now allowed just three goals, while scoring 12.

Russia has a day off before a critical New Years Eve showdown with Canaada.