TORONTO - Fans at Air Canada Centre sweated through a tense first period and watched Slovak goaltender Denis Godla make save after save. By the time Canadas world junior team pulled away in the third, the crowd was able to exhale and chant: We Want Russia, We Want Gold and even sing a full rendition of O Canada.In beating Slovakia 5-1 Sunday night in the semifinals, Canada emerged from its first adversity of the tournament to reach the gold-medal game. The showdown with Russia is one the Canadians are more prepared for than they were through the first five games.We thought it was good for us to have that game tonight, coach Benoit Groulx said. Youve got to know how to play in a tournament (in) that type of game. We kept our calm, we made some mistakes but I think we will learn from it.Canada learned any team is vulnerable to a hot goaltender in a single-elimination tournament as Godla was spectacular in stopping 39 of the 44 shots he faced. But Nic Petan had a hat trick, Shea Theodore and Anthony Duclair each added a goal, Connor McDavid recorded three assists and Zach Fucale made 14 saves to ensure the end of Canadas world junior medal drought that dated back to 2012.This is something I dream of, getting this opportunity, said McDavid, who insisted he was fine after colliding with linemate Curtis Lazar in the third period and hesitating to get up. Have this in front of us tomorrow, cant look too far ahead. You have a great Russian team ahead of us.Even though these are teenagers who werent even born when Russia was the Soviet Union, players know full well the history of the rivalry between these two countries. It will get another chapter Monday night.That rivalry thats been together since the 72 Summit Series that Ive been told about and see highlights of all the time, its going to be something special, defenceman Joe Hicketts said. Its an honour for me to get to wear the Maple Leaf in that game.Russian coach Valeri Bragin said facing Canada was the best thing for all of the hockey community and called Russia-Canada a hockey classic.Canada will only get to take part in this classic final because it shook off some early struggles against Slovakia. Players knew their opponent would be much tougher than they were in an 8-0 rout on Boxing Day, and it took some time before Canada was able to assert its talent advantage and physical dominance.They hung around for a lot longer, I guess, than a lot of people would have expected, defenceman Josh Morrissey said. For us, we just kept going, we didnt get frustrated. That was our main focus on the bench was not to get too frustrated and just play. We knew that if we kept doing the right things, they would come.They did, led by McDavid and Petan, who was bumped up to the second line and rewarded Groulx and his staff. Petan said it was an unbelievable feeling to see hats come down from many of the 18,002 in attendance, including his father.Just a half-hour after Canada finished the job against Slovakia, the attention was already on Russia. The Russians, who beat Sweden earlier Sunday, are standing between Canada and its first gold medal in this tournament since 2009 in Ottawa.Thats going to be a tough game, Russias Rinat Valiev said. I saw a couple games, theyre very skilled. But we played against Canada before so Im not scared to play against (them).Canada and Russia last met for gold in 2011 in Buffalo. Russian forward Ivan Barbashev said fans all over that country remember the comeback from down 3-0 for the 5-3 victory, a game Canadians would much rather forget.It was unreal, Barbashev said. We have a pretty good team this year and we can beat anyone.This was the first time in history Canada and Slovakia faced off in the world junior semifinals. When it was still a one-goal game 20 minutes in, Petan wasnt surprised because he and his teammates were prepared for a tight matchup.Some teams do take teams lightly, Petan said. The biggest thing was not taking them lightly. After the first game obviously they got better on in the tournament.This is a better Canadian team, too, even though Petan called the first period the worst of the tournament. After being tied in shots 6-6, Canada put 38 on net to Slovakias nine the rest of the way.By the time Duclair scored early in the third, there was a palpable sense of relief in the arena. Petan completing the hat trick began the series of chants that Morrissey could only describe as inspiring.Canada hopes to have an inspired performance Monday night against Russia with a chance to make history.We have to understand that maybe we didnt play as well as we wanted to today, Hicketts said. (Against Russia) we know were going to have to play a complete 60 minutes of hard-hitting and fast Canadian hockey.---Follow @SWhyno on Twitter Wholesale NFL Jerseys . The Bulls seem to be getting along fine without him. D.J. Augustin scored 27 points in a start for Kirk Hinrich and Taj Gibson matched a career high with 26 filling in for Carlos Boozer as the Bulls improved to 7-2 since trading the popular Deng with a 98-87 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night. Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys . The Suns termed Fridays surgery by team doctor Thomas Carter a success. No timetable was given for Bledsoes return but the team said in a news release that he "will pursue a possible return to action during the second half" of the season. http://www.wholesalechinajerseysfreeshipping.com/ . After a first half in which he thought "the lid was on the basket," the Toronto Raptors coach watched his squad mount a second half surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91. Wholesale Jerseys USA . Snedekers best result so far this year is a tie for eighth place at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March. He sits 113th in FedEx Cup standings and has dropped to 31st in world rankings — not the results expected from a player ranked fourth in the world only two years ago. Wholesale Jerseys China . The 2014 edition will be the ninth meeting between the Caps and Vikes in a tradition that dates back to 2005. "Since the original Whitecaps, the club has enjoyed fantastic support from fans in Victoria and all across Vancouver Island," said Whitecaps FC president Bob Lenarduzzi.Leading up to SportsCentres Year In Review on Christmas Eve, TSN and TSN.ca look back at each of the Top 10 stories of 2013. Today, we look back at the Sea of Green in Regina - as the Saskatchewan Roughriders won the 101st Grey Cup in front of their passionate fans by toppling the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. They said the script was written in green ink. After watching the BC Lions and Toronto Argonauts hoist the Grey Cup on home soil the previous two years, Saskatchewan Roughriders fans were hoping this was their year, the season of the 101st Grey Cup to be played in Regina. The Roughriders fast start and strong first half gave the province hope, with Darian Durant playing some of the best football of his career and Kory Sheets rushing on a record pace. The teams second half struggles - a four-game losing streak after Labour Day - served as the obstacle for the heroes to overcome; with the Riders doing just that in finishing second in the West Division before advancing to the championship game in late November. As if the Grey Cup couldnt hold any more importance, the Roughriders were welcoming back old friends Kent Austin, Andy Fantuz, and Henry Burris,, now in black and gold as members of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.dddddddddddd Austin led Saskatchewan to their last Grey Cup win in 2007 before heading south to coach college football. Fantuz was named Most Outstanding Canadian in that same Grey Cup. The game itself was never very close, and that was just fine with the 44,710 crammed into the stands at Taylor Field. Buoyed by a couple of fortunate bounces early, the Roughriders mostly dominated Hamilton that Sunday en route to an easy 45-23 win. Sheets completed his magical season with nearly 200 rushing yards, two touchdowns and a Grey Cup MVP. Geroy Simon proved he was still super with two touchdown receptions while fan favourite Weston Dressler and Jock Sanders also added scores. And as for Durant, the QB who carried the perception he wasnt a big game player, he left with 271 total yards on offence, three touchdowns, and questions of his championship abilities forever answered. It was the perfect ending to a yearlong journey for the Roughriders and fans of the team in Saskatchewan; all of them rewarded for making the event one of the loudest and most passionate in recent memory. ' ' '