Canada and Russia will write another chapter in their storied hockey rivalry Saturday, as the Russians earned a spot in the semifinals with a 3-0 win over Finland on Thursday.

The two countries haven't met in a best-on-best tournament since the quarterfinals at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, a 7-3 win for Canada.

It might not be the North America-Canada matchup so many fans desired, but Russian forward Evgeny Kuznetsov can't hardly wait for puck drop.

"It's a dream game," Kuznetsov told Greg Wyshynski of Yahoo Sports after Thursday's win. "Most guys don't get a chance to play against Canada. The whole world knows that the best players play here. They're always the favorite in every tournament."

The winner of Saturday's contest goes on to play either Team Europe or Sweden in a best-of-three final.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Some key members of the Boston Bruins have been given the green light.

Defenseman Torey Krug and centerman David Krejci have been cleared to participate in the club's training camp, which opens Friday.

"Both are fully good to go, to be integrated into practice doing drills," general manager Don Sweeney said Thursday.

"We'll call it a modified contact situation that we can control a little bit before they get fully ramped up, and then we'll just monitor their progress and how they're feeling throughout, and game by game as to whether or not they play."

Krug underwent shoulder surgery in April, while Krejci underwent an operation on his left hip.

Both players are on track with their recovery schedules, and are aiming to be in the lineup opening night in Columbus.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Leo Komarov's international career may have ended Thursday.

The Toronto Maple Leafs forward spoke to the media following his club's 3-0 loss to Russia at the World Cup and admitted that it could have been his final game for his homeland.

Komarov has been a mainstay for the national team for some time. He's suited up in 57 games at the World Championship, six at the Olympics, 13 at the world juniors, and, most recently, three at the World Cup.

Finland will certainly miss his chippy and physical demeanor if the 29-year-old does indeed retire from international play.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Fans yearning to know what the Las Vegas club will call itself will have to wait a little longer.

The final name, color scheme, and logo will not be unveiled until early November, majority owner Bill Foley said, according to Steve Carp of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

"We had a webinar (Thursday) with Adidas and the NHL and we're still tweaking the logo and the use of the colors," Foley said. "It probably means we're going to have to push back the big announcement because it's going to take time to get everything printed on the shirts and hats. The jerseys will take a little longer to produce."

Those decisions should be completed next week where they will then seek final approval from the league.

As for the delay, Foley also insists that another contributing factor is the location of the unveiling.

"The other issue is Toshiba Plaza," Foley said. "We want to do the unveiling there. But there are very few open dates in October because the arena is being used most of the month. It’s a little more open in November."

The wait, however, will apparently be worth it.

"We're getting real close," Foley said. "But we want it to be perfect."

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While he may be this generation's goal king, Alex Ovechkin doesn't believe he'll end his hall-of-fame career at the top of the all-time list.

The leader, of course, is Wayne Gretzky, who found the net a ridiculous 894 times.

Ovechkin, a six-time "Rocket" Richard winner, currently sits at 525 career tallies, and at 31, "The Great 8" claims he has no chance at catching "The Great One."

"I don't think somebody will beat this record," Ovechkin told Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. "In this hockey right now, in this league, I think it's impossible.

"I have to have six seasons with 50 goals, I don't know if I'm gonna be able to skate in six seasons," he said jokingly.

Ovi is third among active players in goals, and sits 33rd on the all-time list - for now.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Taylor Hall: Not over it. Not yet, at least.

The 24-year-old reported to New Jersey Devils training camp Thursday, and was honest when asked about the trade that saw him leave the Edmonton Oilers, doubling down on critical comments he made in the summer.

"I would say the same things today," Hall said, according to The Record's Andrew Gross. "I did not step over the line. Just the way everything went down, I still hold a bitter resentment toward (the Oilers)."

Hall's looking forward to the change of scenery and excited about what he can accomplish with an underrated Devils squad.

General manager Ray Shero is hoping Hall uses the feelings he has for Edmonton as motivation.

"He's one of the many talented players in Edmonton that haven't made the playoffs. Hopefully, he'll do that."

Hall had 65 points last season, which would have led New Jersey in scoring. He's signed through 2019-20 at a $6-million cap hit.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nashville Predators general manager David Poile would love nothing more than to pay Ryan Johansen an obscene amount of money.

Poile outlined his expectations for the 24-year-old, who was acquired last season from the Columbus Blue Jackets in a one-for-one trade for Seth Jones, with Sports Illustrated's Alex Prewitt.

"To be our leading scorer," Poile said. "To have really good offensive numbers. To be a player who can be used in more situations than last year. I've got really high expectations for him."

No pressure, Ryan.

The center finished with 60 points last season.

He added four goals and four assists in 14 playoff games, as Nashville lost in the second round.

First things first: Johansen's going to have to score more. He got more comfortable as time went on, after the trade, and he's the club's No. 1 center. A full season playing with Filip Forsberg should help.

While he was at first surprised by Poile's comments, he's taking a positive approach.

"... Why not?" Johansen asked. "It's motivating."

Johansen will earn $4 million this season and will be a restricted free agent on July 1, 2017.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mikael Backlund has a concussion.

Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving, who employs the Swedish forward in the NHL, confirmed the diagnosis Thursday.

Backlund was leveled by defenseman Sami Lepisto during Sweden's 2-0 win over Finland at the World Cup of Hockey on Tuesday.

He missed Wednesday's overtime loss to North America and was replaced by Patrik Berglund.

Treliving added that he's hopeful Backlund will start skating shortly.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames will endure the 2016-17 season without defenseman Ladislav Smid.

The 30-year-old continues to suffer from a neck injury and in turn will not suit up this season, the team announced.

Though he won't play, Smid is not making the decision to retire, according to Kristen Odland of the Calgary Herald, leaving the possibility of being put on long-term injured reserve.

Smid appeared in a total of 53 games over the past two seasons. He originally had surgery on his neck in January 2015, and was limited to just 22 games last year following a nine-month layoff.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Evander Kane spent his summer focusing on hockey and only hockey, he told media on the first day of Buffalo Sabres training camp.

Kane was sued in July by a woman who alleges the 25-year-old assaulted her in the hotel room where he lives. He countered with a lawsuit of his own, claiming the woman filed hers solely to harass him.

But the forward is keeping his sights solely on 2016-17.

"I'm just focused on this season and trying to have the best season of my career," he told Jon Vogl of The Buffalo news.

Kane said he hasn't heard from the NHL or discussed the case with Sabres management, Vogl added.

"These situations are what they are," he said. "They happen to athletes or people in a position such as myself. Those are things you have to deal with and kind of come with the territory. In saying that, you have to be a little more away and kind of put yourself on a higher pedestal than you maybe think you are."

In July, Kane was arrested and charged with harassment after he was in an altercation at a downtown Buffalo bar. He's been at the center of a number of off-ice issues that have had an impact on his career and reputation.

Sabres captain Brian Gionta gave his thoughts on Kane earlier Thursday.

"I would hope that he'd want to stay a little more low profile," he said, according to Sabres reporter Paul Hamilton.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.