Canada to face Russia in final

Canada broke home hearts in the Czech Republic as a 2-0 victory sent them to the Ice Hockey World Championship final at the hosts' expense.

Defending champions Russia await them in the final, having routed the United States.

The Czechs defeated Finland 5-3 in the quarter-finals to maintain hopes of victory on home ice, but Canada - one of the pre-tournament favourites - spoiled the party.

Taylor Hall finished a well-worked team move to open the scoring in the first period, before the tournament's top scorer Jason Spezza made it 2-0 in the second.

Canada were content to ease through the third period and did a fine job of nullifying the threat of Czech dangerman Jaromir Jagr to reach their first gold medal match since 2009.

Speaking on Canada's win, Ryan O'Reilly said: "JJ [Jagr] is definitely a key part of their team. We kept him on the outside. That was a key part of our tactic."

Standing in Canada's way is a Russia side looking for back-to-back World Championship victories, as Oleg Znarok's side dominated USA 4-0 in the other semi-final.

USA beat Russia 4-2 in the preliminary rounds, the Russians first defeat in over a year under Znarok's management, but there was to be no repeat of that triumph on this occasion.

Russia - who will go in search of a 28th World Championship gold medal - came into life in the final period, after a tight contest to that point.

Sergei Mozyakin made the breakthrough in the second period, before Alexander Ovechkin, making his first appearance at the tournament , Yevgeni Malkin and Vadim Shipachyov were all on the scoresheet in a dominant third-period showing.