It wasn't the color they wanted, but Russia will leave Slovakia with a medal in hand.

Russia claimed the bronze medal Sunday at the IIHF World Championship, defeating Czech Republic 3-2 in a shootout.

Captain Ilya Kovalchuk and Nikita Gusev scored for Russia in the shootout, while the Czech Republic was unable to solve Andrei Vasilevskiy between the pipes.

Russia had to overcome a 2-1 deficit after jumping out to an early 1-0 lead. Artem Anisimov scored the tying goal in the second period, which was assisted by Gusev.

The Russians finished the preliminary round with a perfect 7-0-0-0 record and a sparkling +29 goal differential. They squeaked past the United States in the quarterfinals 4-3 but were upset by Finland 1-0 in the semis despite boasting a roster with superior talent and experience.

Russia's victory marks the country's third bronze medal in the last four tournaments. For the Czech Republic, its medal drought extends to seven years.

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