QUEBEC - Russia is a step closer to ending its 15-year gold medal drought at the IIHF world hockey championship.

Veteran Sergei Fedorov got the all-important opening goal as Russia used its quick-strike attack to down Finland 4-0 on Friday and advance to the final. "It seems to me that almost everything came together," said the 38-year-old Fedorov, whose team is seeking its first world championship gold since 1993.

Danis Zaripov, Alexei Morozov and Maxim Sushinsky also scored for Russia, which avenged a 2-1 semifinal loss to the Finns at last year's world championship in Moscow.

Evgeny Nabokov made 23 saves for his second shutout in a row after Russia blanked Switzerland 6-0 in the quarter-finals. He last allowed a goal to Romano Lemm at 18:25 of the third period of Russia's final round robin game against the Swiss.

"The coaching staff asked us to play a bit more defensively and the guys took