QUEBEC CITY – The big line did it again and Canada is going for gold on home soil.
 
Dany Heatley, Rick Nash and Ryan Getzlaf each scored a goal as Canada advanced to the gold medal of the 2008 IIHF World Championship with a 5-4 semi-final victory over Sweden on Friday.

The defending world champions will play longtime rival Russia on Sunday for the world title. Canada is looking to become the first host country to win the world title on home ice since the Soviet Union in 1986 and the first reigning world champion to successfully defended its world title on home ice since the Soviets in 1979.
 
The Heatley-Nash-Getzlaf trio has now combined for 17 goals and 44 points in Canada's eight straight victories since the puck dropped to start the tournament two weeks ago. Heatley leads the scoring race with 18 points, while Nash and Getzlaf follow with 13 points apiece.
 
Heatley opened the scoring at 5:35 of the first period, tapping a pass behind goaltender Henrik Lundqvist for his 11th goal of the tournament, tying him with Eric Lindros for the modern-day record of most goals by a Canadian at the world championship, set in 1993.
 
Anton Stralman tied it for the Swedes in the final minute of the opening period, and Niklas Wallin gave them the lead just three minutes into the middle frame – the first time in the tournament Canada trailed in a game.

But the Canadians would not trail for long, as Getzlaf evened the game at 2-2 just 1:12 after Stralman’s goal and Jamal Mayers restored the Canadian lead five minutes after that.
 
Stralman drew the Swedes even with a powerplay goal just past the midway point of the period, but again the Canadians struck quickly, as Nash put the hosts ahead 4-3 just 1:03 after the Swedish goal.

Mike Green, who hit the post just moments before Stralman’s first goal, made no mistake on his next scoring chance, firing a rocket of a shot over the glove of Lundqvist with just seven seconds remaining in the period, scoring what turned out to be the game-winning goal.
 
Fredrik Warg's goal at 14:21 of the third made it 5-4, but that would be as close as the Swedes would come, as they will now face Finland for bronze on Saturday afternoon.

Pascal Leclaire made 30 saves in recording his fourth victory of the tournament in the Canadian goal.
 
Canada has now won 17 straight games at the world championship, dating back to last year in Moscow. | by Alan Adams |  photo gallery

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Final

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Goals/Buts :
5.35 - 1 - 0 PP1 - Canada - 15. HEATLEY, Dany (8. BURNS, Brent) (52. GREEN, Mike)
19.15 - 1 - 1 EQ - Sweden - 36. STRALMAN, Anton (80. WEINHANDL, Mattias)

Penalties/Pénalités :
0.35 - 2 min - Sweden - 36. STRALMAN, Anton - Tripping
4.30 - 2 min - Sweden - 6. JOHANSSON, Magnus - Cross-Checking
6.04 - 2 min - Canada - 4. BOUWMEESTER, Jay - Interference

Goals/Buts :
22.46 - 1 - 2 EQ - Sweden - 7. WALLIN, Niclas (9. MARTENSSON, Tony) (80. WEINHANDL, Mattias)
23.58 - 2 - 2 PP1 - Canada - 51. GETZLAF, Ryan (52. GREEN, Mike)
28.31 - 3 - 2 EQ - Canada - 21. MAYERS, Jamal (25. CHIMERA, Jason) (91. SPEZZA, Jason)
31.26 - 3 - 3 PP1 - Sweden - 36. STRALMAN, Anton (27. NILSSON, Robert)
32.29 - 4 - 3 EQ - Canada - 61. NASH, Rick - (51. GETZLAF, Ryan)(15. HEATLEY, Dany)
39.53 - 5 - 3 PP - Canada - 52. GREEN, Mike (31. LECLAIRE, Pascal)

Penalties/Pénalités :
23.06 - 2 min - Sweden - 36. STRALMAN, Anton - Hooking
30.56 - 2 min - Canada - 22. KEITH, Duncan - Hooking
30.56 - 2 min - Canada - 9. ROY, Derek - Roughing
30.56 - 2 min - Sweden - 17. HOLMQVIST, Michael - Roughing
35.47 - 2 min - Canada - 8. BURNS, Brent - Tripping
38.3 - 2 min - Sweden - 7. WALLIN, Niclas - Hooking
39.29 - 4 min - Sweden - 24. FROGREN, Jonas - High Sticking

Goals/Buts :
54.21 - 5 - 4 EQ - Sweden - 79. WARG, Fredrik (12. FABRICIUS, Karl) (7. WALLIN, Niclas)

Penalties/Pénalités :
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31. LECLAIRE, Pascal