World Junior 2015: Russia might have the heart of the Buffalo team that stunned Canada in 2011

TORONTO —  Five scores and four years ago, Russia made Canada's worst nightmare come to true — and a similar cenario is in play for Gold Medal Monday.

Doesn't Team Russia know it. Anyone who adopted Russia, 4-1 winners over Sweden in the first semifinal at the world junior championship, ought to have been careful about what they wished for; the likely final would consist of a galvanized Russia that had a harder road to the final than Canada. And, of course, there's all the levers coach Valeri Bragin pulled in 2011 in Buffalo when Russia pulled off a stunning 5-3 comeback win over Canada in the final.

"Everybody knows that year and everybody knows the game," said forward Ivan Barbashev, the St. Louis Blues prospect who plays for the Moncton Wildcats. "It was a great game for Team Russia. They were losing 3-0 late in the second and they scored five goals. We have a pretty good team this year and we can beat any team.

"This team, we had a couple of very hard games versus USA and today against Sweden," added Barbashev, whose team got two goals on Sunday from Alexander Sharov and a characteristically solid night in net from Igor Shestyorkin, a New York Rangers draft pick. "We know how to play ... Everybody understands we don't have any room for mistakes. After the quarter-final and semifinals, everyone is together."

Barbashev and defenceman Rinat Valiev, who will  give the Toronto Maple Leafs some European draft pick representation in Monday's final now that Swedish star William Nylander is playing in the bronze game, each acknowledged that Russia has paced itself throughout the tournament. They needed a shootout against Denmark and lost to the Czech Republic during the preliminary round and were shaded 3-2 by Sweden, but seeing as only one team out of each group doesn't advance to the knockout stage, what's the point of overextending yourself?

The rematch was one-sided, though. Sweden, whose power play was a ludicrously good 48 per cent in its first five games, had a perhaps predictable regression. It couldn't break through a seasoned defence anchored by the likes of captain Vladislav Gavrikov and the nasty Nikita Cherepanov.

This team is taking on the complexion of the 2011 team.

"They know it without the coach's words," Bragin, through an interpreter, said of the 2011 squad's arc, which including late rallies in all three medal round wins. "It's well-known in Russia. Tomorrow will be the final and we will see whether they have such heart."

Slaying the Swedish dragon

Canada hasn't come any close to gold since then, losing the 2012 semifinal to Russia as well as the '13 and '14 bronze-medal games. Russia's nemesis over thev same span has been Sweden, what with the Mika Zibanejad golden goal Calgary three years ago and semifinal losses in the two succeeding years.

"It was time to stop this, Russia losing to Sweden," Bragin said through his interpreter. "It was like a tradition. There's nothing to be scared about, they should listen to the coach."

Nylander, the Leafs' bright young beacon, had several chances but was mostly well-contained. In the third, shortly after Sweden scored to get within 3-1, Nylander was lurking in the goalmouth when Shestyorkin let a rebound pop free to his right. Nylander looked for the loose puck on the goalie's left side and Shestyorkin recovered.

Minutes later, Maxim Mamin scored the dagger goal. On the whole, Russia was full value for the win.

"They blocked more shots today and played harder," Sweden forward Gustav Forsling said. "They had a better game than they had last game. We gave it a good try in the third but we just couldn't get it going."

Provided Canada beats Slovakia on Sunday, the gold-medal game could be a showdown between the irresistible home team and than immovable object. Bragin's teams are resilient and able to get under team's skin, whereas Canada has been more about dictating the pace of the game. It

"Very strong, no weak positions, no weak points," is how Bragin sized up Team Canada.

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.