HELSINKI/STOCKHOLM – The Russian Hockey Federation announced Thursday that it will register goalkeeper Mikhail Biryukov, and defencemen Yevgeni Biryukov and Yevgeni Ryasenski.

By registered these three players, the Russian national team will have an active roster of three goalkeepers, eight defencemen and 12 forwards, leaving two roster spots open for additional skaters.

Mikhail Biryukov of KHL team Yugra Khanty-Mansisk will be the third goalkeeper behind the Colorado Avalanche’s Semyon Varlamov and Konstantin Barulin from Atlant Mytishi.

In his only World Championship participation, Biryukov played three games in 2008 when the Russians won the gold in Quebec City.

Varlamov has played all three games so far, but the Russian national team announced that Barulin will be in the net in today’s game against Denmark.

For the defencemen Yevgeni Biryukov, 26, from Metallurg Magnitogorsk and Yevgeni Ryasenski, 25, from CSKA Moscow it will be the first IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. Both represented Russia in one U20 World Championship.

All three players have already been part of the team in the pre-Worlds training camp.