STOCKHOLM/HELSINKI – The Russian national team registered defenceman Nikita Zaitsev and forward Yevgeni Kuznetsov before tonight’s game against Slovakia.

Russia has now 21 skaters and three goalkeepers on its roster and can still add one additional player.

Defenceman Nikita Zaitsev will replace Yevgeni Ryasenski, who is out for the reminder of the tournament due to an injury, in tonight’s line-up.

The 21-year-old Moscow native had his breakthrough season with the KHL’s Sibir Novosibirsk. In 56 games he scored eight goals and had 11 assists.

He will play his first IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. He has already represented Russia in two U20 and one U18 World Championship and won U20 gold in 2011.

Also 20-year-old forward Yevgeni Kuznetsov was also on the team that won World Junior gold in 2011. He was the scoring leader of his hometown team Traktor Chelyabinsk in the last two seasons. In 53 KHL games this year he scored 24 goals and had 31 assists.

For Kuznetsov it will be his second World Championship with the senior national team. He was on last year’s gold medal winning team and contributed two goals and four assists in ten games.

In other news Canada’s Dan Hamhuis and Team USA’s Alex Galchenyuk have joined their teams in Stockholm and Helsinki respectively and have been cleared to play.