Confident Russians say they will win gold medal because of their skill

VANCOUVER (CP) - Skill, explained defenceman Andrei Zubarev, is what will separate Russia from Canada in Thursday's gold medal game at the world junior hockey championship.

The Russians simply have more of it, a confident Zubarev said Wednesday. "We can compete with them physically but, on a technical level, we will beat them," he said through an interpreter. "Historically the Soviet type of hockey was more skilful. This year is no exception. We will try to beat them by skills."

Goaltender Anton Khudobin agreed with his teammate's assessment.

"If we work as one tomorrow, we will probably dominate," said Khudobin, who had his toque pulled down almost to his eyebrows.

"We must play our game, our Russian hockey type of game, not just dump and chase."

A little Russian trash-talking before the big game maybe?

No, said Zubarev. Simply facts.

"This is confidence, not over-estimated self confidence," he said.

When the puck drops between Canada and Russia before a screaming, soldout crowd at G.M. Place, it will be the fifth time since 1999 the two countries have met in the world junior final.

The Russians have won three of the previous four meetings. Overall, Russia has won 15 world junior championships, compared to 11 for Canada.

In last year's final at Grand Forks, N.D., what might have been the best Canadian junior team ever iced hammered the Russians 6-1 to take the gold medal.

Eight members of that Russian team are back this year.

Losing that game that still weighs on Khudobin's mind. He was yanked after giving up the first three goals.

"I wouldn't say I've completely forgotten what happened last year," said Khudobin, who plays for the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League. "I would say I have some feelings about taking revenge for what happened."

Led by Evgeni Malkin, who the Pittsburgh Penguins took second overall in the 2004 draft, the Russians have speed, power and finesse.

They are a big team that skates well, hits often and can pass the puck through the eye of a needle.

The lanky six-foot-three, 186-pound Malkin has four goals and six assists in Russia's five wins at the tournament and is tied for the scoring lead with Phil Kessel of the U.S.

He also leads the Russian Super League in scoring with 15 goals and 21 assists in 33 games.

Canada easily handled Russia 8-1 in a pre-tournament exhibition game in Kamloops but Malkin didn't play that night.

"They certainly rally around him," said Team Canada coach Brent Sutter. "They're certainly a different team with him in their lineup."

Malkin isn't the only scoring threat on the team.

His linemate Nikolai Kulemin scored two goals in Tuesday's 5-1 semifinal win over the U.S. The second was a great individual effort where he used his speed to beat a U.S. player at the blue-line then, with one hand on his stick, fought off an American defenceman before scoring.

Nikolai Lemtyugov, who has four goals during the tournament, Sergei Shirokov, who has three goals, and defenceman Alexei Emelin, who has five assists, are also part of the Russian arsenal.

Khudobin heads into the final as the tournament's top-ranked goalie with a 1.50 goals-against average and .954 save percentage.

While Khudobin's numbers are impressive, he's not invincible, say Canadian players who have faced him in the WHL.

"He's a good goalie but if you get some goals on him, he'll kind of shut it down," said Dustin Boyd, who plays for the Moose Jaw Warriors.

If the Russians were nervous about the gold medal game they didn't show it in practice Wednesday.

The players were loose and smiling. They spent a lot of time in a massive shiny game, wildly celebrating every goal scored.

They may be relaxed but the Russians appreciate the significance of the game.

"It's a big game for us, a big challenge," said right-winger Alexander Radulov, Nashville's 15th pick overall in the 2004 NHL draft who now plays for the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

"It's always Russia-Canada. We have to work hard, play our game and play our best."

GUYS IF U CAN WATCH THIS GAME TONIGHT WATCH IT SHOULD BE A BEAUTY START TIME AT 7PM EASTERN ON TSN