The Czech Republic remains the only team to stop Canada's bid for a third consecutive gold medal at the world ice hockey championship as both scored their semifinal victories on Saturday.

The Czechs beat Sweden 3-2 on Radek Dvorak's winner at 4:43 in overtime, hoping a reprisel of history after the Czechs beat Canada 4-2 here in 1996 to take the title.

Earlier, Canada booked its place earlier with a 4-3 win over previously unbeaten Russia. Thus, Sweden, who failed to make its third consecutive final, will play Russia for the bronze on Sunday.

Deadlocked at 2-2 after regulation time, Sweden and the Czechs faced off in a four-on-four, 10-minute overtime period.

The Canadians, who can tie the former Soviet Union/Russia for the most overall titles at 24 with a win on Sunday, became the first time to beat Russia at this year's tournament.

Wade Redden gave the two-time defending champions the lead at 1:38 of the first period, Sheldon Souray doubled it when he fired a shot into the open side and Dany Heatley, last year's most valuable player at the championship, made it 3-0 at 10:37 when he slipped the puck between goalie Maxim Sokolov's pads. Before the ice was dry after the first intermission, Ed Jovanovski took Rick Nash's pass and fired home from close range to extend the lead to 4-0 at 1:40 of the second.

"After that fourth goal, we sat back a little too much, and you can't give them that kind of room," said Canada forward Joe Thornton, who had three assists. "They are so talented and have so much offensive fire power, and they showed it." Russia showed that their future is in good hands as their young guns took over, firing a barrage at goalie Martin Brodeur, who came up with several spectacular saves.

With Canada on their heels, 21-year-old Alexander Semin ripped a wrist shot over Brodeur's glove at 14:22 of the second period.

Alexei Yashin, now an elder statesman on the team at 31, made it 4-2 when he banked a shot off Canadian defenseman Chris Phillips' skate with 42 seconds left in the second.

That set the stage for an exciting final 20 minutes, and the 2004 top NHL draft choice Alexander Ovechkin fired in a pass from the number two overall pick Evgeni Malkin at 6:27 of the third and came close several more times to tying the game.

But Brodeur held the Russians off and kept Canada's golden dream on track.