Two goals by Evgeni Malkin and one by Vladimir Tarasenko helped Russia to a 5-3 victory over Sweden today at the world hockey championship in Ostrava, Czech Republic.
The result sets up a semifinal between Russia and the United States on Saturday in Prague.
Russia is expected to have Alex Ovechkin in the lineup against the Americans, who defeated Switzerland today.
Canada, after hammering Belarus, will face the Czechs in the other semifinal on Saturday. The hosts got a late goal from Jaromir Jagr to help them defeat the Finns, 5-3, today.
The gold-medal game goes Sunday in Prague.
Russia is the defending gold-medal winner at the worlds. The United States was last crowned world champion in 1960, at the Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley.