Finland wins bronze at hockey worlds

5/17/2008 4:35 PM

QUEBEC CITY (AP) -Finland beat Sweden 4-0 Saturday for the bronze medal at the IIHF World Hockey Championship behind first-period goals by Antti Pihlstrom and Janne Niskala and 36 saves by Niklas Backstrom.

Canada and Russia play for the gold medal Sunday. The two countries have never met in a world championship final. Canada is looking to become the first nation to win the world title at home since the Soviet Union in 1986.

Pihlstrom added his second goal of the game and fifth of the tournament in the third period and Mikko Koivu scored in an empty net. Finland was outshot 36-13.

Finland lost to Russia 4-0 Friday in the semifinals. It has won a medal at three consecutive world championships, taking the silver last year and the bronze in 2006.

Sweden fell to Canada 5-4 in the semifinals. This was the Swedes' second consecutive loss in the bronze-medal game of the worlds. They lost 3-1 to Russia in Moscow a year ago. Sweden's fourth-place finish puts Canada back at No. 1 in the IIHF rankings.