QUEBEC CITY, Canada (AFP) - Finland captured the bronze medal at the World Ice Hockey Championships Saturday by beating reigning Olympic champions Sweden 4-0.

It marked the third consecutive medal for Finland at the Worlds to go with a silver last year and a bronze in 2006.

The game was also a rematch of the 2006 Turin Olympic final which Sweden won 4-3.

Niklas Backstrom made 36 saves in goal for Finland who were outshot 36-13. The Swedes swarmed the Finnish goal in the second period, outshooting Finland 11-2 in the middle period.

One of Backstrom's best saves came in the second when he slid across his crease to rob Swedish defenceman Daniel Fernholm and then made two follow up saves in the same sequence.

Antti Pihlstrom scored his team-leading fourth and fifth goals and Janne Niskala scored once for Finland, who last played in a bronze medal game against Sweden in 1992.

In that one, Finland built a 3-0 lead but the Swedes rallied to win 5-3.

Ironically Stefan Liv was the goalie for Sweden in that game replacing starter Tommy Salo.

Liv also got the call here Saturday, replacing Swedish No. 1 Henrik Lundqvist who struggled in the semi-final loss to Russia Friday and did not dress against Finland.