TORONTO — Having lost in the semifinal to Sweden the last two years, Russian coach Valeri Bragin said it was time to end the unlucky tradition.Alexander Sharov scored twice leading Russia to a berth in the gold medal game at the world junior hockey championship with a 4-1 win over Sweden on Sunday.Everybody understands we dont have a chance to have mistakes, said St. Louis Blues prospect, Ivan Barbashev. We know it was kind of brutal in our group, but after the quarter-finals and semifinals everybody was together and we play 100 per cent.The Russians will play either Canada or Slovakia on Monday night in the championship game.Bragin summed it up best when asked what itd mean to meet the Canadians in the final.Its the best thing for all of the hockey community, for business, he said. Russia - Canada: hockey classicZiat Paigin and Maxim Mamin had the other Russian goals. Lucas Wallmark scored the lone goal for Sweden.New York Rangers draft pick Igor Shestyorkin made 26 saves in the win while Linus Soderstrom stopped 27 shots for Sweden.It was the third time in the last four years the two countries met in a semifinal at the Under-20 tournament.It feels terrible right now. Cant describe it right now, said Swedish defenceman, and Vancouver Canucks prospect, Gustav Forsling. I dont think we shoot a lot like we should on this goalie. Hes not a good goalie so we should get some more shots through. Get some people in front. We dont do that.Russia scored twice a little over a minute apart in the second period.Sharov opened the scoring with his third of the tournament at 11:18 putting an Anatoli Golyshev feed past Soderstrom.Paigin made it 2-0 lead at 12:50 one-timing a pass from Rinat Valiev for his first of the tournament.Vyacheslav Leshenko had an excellent chance to give the Russians a 3-0 lead with just 39 seconds remaining in the second, but Soderstrom got his shoulder out to direct the shot over the net.Sharovs second of the game 1:31 into the third put it out of reach. The 19-year-old draft-eligible forward picked up a pass from Vladimir Bryukvin and beat Soderstrom with a wrist shot.First experience of my life, I was ready for this all my life, and Im very excited, said Valiev, a Toronto Maple Leafs prospect. Its pretty exciting. I love to play here. It was tough games and hopefully were playing fine right now.Wallmark got Sweden on the board with his fourth of the tournament at 11:30 of the third.However, Mamin put home the rebound off of Ivan Fishenkos shot at 12:39 restoring Russias three-goal lead with his second goal of the tournament.Sweden, which won silver losing to Finland at the gold medal game at the tournament last year, now has a shot at bronze on Monday.However, they were finding it hard to look at a possible bronze as a positive.We have to win that game. Right now it sucks, but we have to get up tomorrow and win the game, said Forsling. Thats the only thing we can do right now.Added defenceman, Anton Karlsson: Its so disappointing. You want to play in the final and you want to play in a full arena.Sweden also defeated Russia 3-2 during the preliminary round on Dec. 29. Russia won Bronze at last years event defeating Canada 2-1. . -- Top-seed Shahar Peer and Canadian Eugenie Bouchard advanced to the second round of the inaugural WTA Citi Open. . Louis Blues, having added Ryan Miller and Steve Ott from Buffalo, remain the No.
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