Alexander Nemenov, Getty Images Russian players, from left, Vitali Atyushov, Evgeni Malkin and Alexander Ovechkin celebrate after defeating Switzerland yesterday, 6-3. Click photo for larger image.

RIGA, Latvia -- Jaroslav Balastik's fluke goal snapped a third-period tie and gave the unbeaten Czech Republic a 6-4 win against previously perfect Canada yesterday at the World Hockey Championship.

Both teams had already clinched quarterfinal spots from Group E along with Finland and the United States. That didn't soften the blow for the Canadians (3-1).

"We're disappointed, no question," coach Marc Habscheid said. "We started out very poorly. In the second and third periods we played more determined and with that good old Canadian passion."

Olympic champion Sweden (2-1-1) also lost for the first time, falling, 5-2, to Slovakia (1-2-1), which needed the win to keep its chances alive for a quarterfinal spot from Group F.

Every team has one game left.

The Czechs (2-0-2) led, 3-1, in the first period, but Canada came back to tie it twice -- 3-3 and 4-4.

Sidney Crosby, the NHL rookie of the year finalist from the Penguins, scored Canada's final goal at 1:01 into the third to get Canada even again. Crosby beat goalie Milan Hnilicka with a backhander off his own rebound for his tournament-high sixth goal.

Five minutes later, Balastik put the Czechs ahead for good with a slap shot that found its way in from a near-impossible angle.

Alex Auld of the Vancouver Canucks gave up another goal at 13:39 as Czech forward Martin Erat of Nashville beat the Canadian goalie with a one-timer off David Vyborny's pass after a quick 2-on-1 break.

Sweden will play Russia today, and Slovakia will face Ukraine tomorrow in its last game.

Earlier, Russia beat Switzerland (1-1-2), 6-3, and Finland maintained its unbeaten record with a 3-0 win against Norway.

Penguin prospect Evgeni Malkin, Danis Zaripov, Denis Arkhipov, Dmitri Bykov, Ilya Nikulin, and Nikolai Kulemin scored for Russia, which ran its winning streak to five games to remain atop its qualifying group.

Russia plays Sweden in their last Group F game today. Russia is on top of the group with eight points and has clinched first place. Sweden has five, Belarus and Switzerland four each, and Slovakia has three.

Finland, with seven points in its qualifying group, plays Canada today with first place in Group E at stake. Canada and the Czech Republic both have six points. The United States has four.