Russia v Canada showdown 

Russia blasted Finland 4-0 on Friday to reach the final of the ice hockey world championship for only the second time in 15 years.

The unbeaten Russians will now meet Canada in the final after Canada beat Olympic champions Sweden 5-4 on Saturday.

The Russian win was payback for a year ago when the Finns scored a 2-1 overtime victory in Moscow to spoil the home party.

Sergei Fedorov, Danis Zaripov, Alexei Morozov and Maxim Sushinskiy scored the goals while San Jose Sharks's Evgeni Nabokov showed why he is a Vezina trophy finalist as the NHL's top netminder by stopping 23 shots to record his second straight shutout.

"Obviously it is big for us that we have made the finals, now we need to make one more step," Nabokov told reporters. "It's not going to be easy whoever we play."

The Big Red Machine is back

The Russians once ruled international hockey, when the "Big Red Machine" of the former Soviet Union won 22 world titles, but they have appeared in one world final since claiming their last gold in 1993.

"I think right now history is not important," declared NHL scoring champion Alexander Ovechkin, who leads Russia with six goals.

Russia had the only goal of the opening period, Fedorov completing a three-on-one break setup by his Washington Capitals team mates Alexander Semin and Ovechkin.

Zaripov doubled the lead early in the second when he was left unmarked to the side of the Finnish goal, slamming the puck into the gaping net. Morozov and Sushinskiy sealed the win in the third period.

"They (Russia) are very big, very skilled, they are the whole package... Nabokov makes them the whole package," said Finland coach Doug Shedden.

"You can't say enough about how good these guys are."

Classic matchup

Champions Canada and Russia both have unbeaten records heading into the final game, the two hockey superpowers providing a classic matchup for the International Ice Hockey Federation's 100th anniversary celebrations.

Finland will play Sweden for the bronze medal Sunday.