"We played a team that was desperate for the win and we won. It says a lot. It ends the qualifying round on a great note."
Canada and Russia did not meet in either the 1998 or 2002 Olympics, and at the World Championships the teams have met only three times since 1996.
The last time was in 2001, when Canada dominated the Russians 5-1. Before that was at the 1997 worlds in Helsinki, Finland, where Canada also won 2-1 in a final round game on its way to winning the gold medal. In 1996 it was the Russians who won, 6-4.
Russia drew first blood at 4:46 into the match when Sergei Gusev's wrist shot from the side boards went off L.A. Kings Alexander Frolov's body past Burke on his stick side. It marked the first power play goal against Canada at the tournament.
But Canada soon drew even with the undisciplined Russians during another plower play 3:10 later. Doan one-timed a pass from Avalanche's Steven Reinprecht at the left corner through Egor Podomatski's five hole.
The Canadians doubled their lead at 7:58 in the second period in a beautiful play. Doan did all the dirty work this time, getting the puck out of the right corner and passing it to Maltby behind the net.
Team Canada went ahead 3-1 at 15:56 when Florida Panthers defenseman Jay Bouwmeester sent a powerful shot from the center of the blueline directly to Briere in front of the crease, with the Buffalo Sabres attacker slamming it into the net.
Maltby made it 4-1 sending it through Podomatski's five hole again, while Doan scored his second to go 5-1 deflecting a shot from Bouwmeester.
Denis Arkhipov narrowed the gap to 5-2 but it was too little, too late for Russia.
Canada will play either host Finland or Germany in the quarterfinals. The team will stay in Turku as long as Finland gets a point from Germany on Wednesday. Otherwise, Canada will travel to Helsinki late Wednesday night before the quarters.
Russia must hope that Switzerland loses to Sweden in its last qualifying round match.
The US ended its worst showing at the worlds since 1998 with an 8-1 rout of Japan in the relegation-round finale Monday.
Belarus beat Slovenia 4-3 to finish second in the relegation group. Slovenia was third and Japan fourth.
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