OTTAWA — Canada’s junior hockey team is back on top of the world, and this gold medal might be the sweetest one yet.

Record-setting crowds packed arenas in the nation’s capital to watch the Canadian team roll through the world junior championship with an unbeaten record, collecting a fifth-straight gold medal with a 5-1 victory over Sweden on Monday night.

It was the second-straight tournament victory for four players on the Canadian team, but it left them with a feeling unlike any other.

“Nothing like this,” John Tavares, one of the returnees, told TSN moments after the game. “There’s nothing like it at all. Listen to these fans.

“That’s five, Canada. Five. That’s what we were talking about.”

The victory tied the country’s record of five consecutive titles in this tournament set between 1993 and 1997. Canada’s 15th gold at the world juniors also tied Russia/Soviet Union for the all-time lead.

The Canadian players jumped all over the ice in celebration after the horn sounded on their latest victory.

“It feels unbelieveable,” defenceman P.K. Subban told TSN. “The first thing I want to do is thank God. I mean we’ve been blessed since Day 1.

“We started our trek in Petawawa. We were a bunch of individuals, we came to Ottawa as one team with one mission.”

Canada goes for a record six in a row at the 2010 world junior tournament in Saskatoon and Regina.

Cody Hodgson of the Brampton Battalion scored twice, while Subban of the Belleville Bulls, Montreal Junior forward Angelo Esposito and Jordan Eberle of the Regina Pats added singles for the hosts.

Tavares had two assists and finished tied with Hodgson for the tournament lead with 16 points. The 18-year-old from Oakville, Ont. was named the tournament’s most valuable player and top forward. He remains a strong candidate to go No. 1 overall in the 2009 NHL draft.

Dustin Tokarski of the Spokane Chiefs made 39 saves for the victory — an emphatic response to those who questioned his play after a win over Russia in the semifinals. Coach Pat Quinn stuck with him and was rewarded for the decision.

“I knew I had to come out better tonight,” said Tokarski. “I think I did that.”

Joakim Andersson scored for the Swedes and goaltender Jacob Markstrom stopped 26 shots.

The 20,380 at Scotiabank Place set a new single-game attendance record at the world junior tournament. It was the fourth time a new mark was established in Ottawa and erased the previous high of 20,223 that was set during Canada’s preliminary-round game against the U.S.

The audience included Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff.

“Throughout the tournament, Canadian players not only produced world-class hockey on the ice, they also represented our country with tremendous dignity and pride off the ice,” Harper said in a statement. “I want to commend all of the players, coaches, volunteers, families and staff who contributed to this successful tournament.

“This is a well-deserved victory.”

Canada led 2-0 after two periods, but history has shown that to be an uncomfortable margin. The Canadians had the same lead going into the third period of last year’s final in Pardubice, Czech Republic, but the Swedes scored twice to force overtime.

The hosts started the third with a man advantage because of Mikael Backlund’s interference penalty to end the second.

Canada’s power-play was running hot at 51 per cent heading into the final and Hodgson scored his team’s second of the game 33 seconds into the final period. The Vancouver Canucks prospect wired a shot that beat Markstrom low stick side.

The Swedes cut into their deficit with Andersson wheeling the puck out front and getting a deflection over Tokarski’s shoulder at 8:30.

Eberle and Hodgson added empty-net goals to secure the victory.

“I can’t say enough about all the guys — all 22 guys — the coaching staff,” said Tavares. “There’s nothing better than this.”

Markstrom had an eventful evening as he was involved in two helmet-removing collisions — one of his own making — and was tripped outside his crease in the first 40 minutes.

In what was already a testy game with punches and face washes after the whistle, a second-period incident turned the heat up even more.

After Canada’s Patrice Cormier knocked Carl Gustaffson into the boards and shoved him again, Markstrom came out of his crease and checked Stefan Della Rovere during the same play. Markstrom was penalized for roughing and Della Rovere and Cormier for interference.

Angelo Esposito and Markstrom collided in a footrace for the puck in Sweden’s zone early in the second period with Markstrom getting the worst of it.

Defenceman Victor Hedman took exception to that, grabbing Esposito’s head and punching the Montreal Junior forward, which made Hedman public enemy No. 1 at Scotiabank Place. The rival of Tavares for first overall pick in the draft was soundly booed any time he touched the puck after that.

Esposito responded to getting punched in the head by scoring his country’s second goal of the game. The Atlanta Thrashers prospect stepped out from behind the goal-line and backhanded the puck upper far corner at 4:06.

Tokarski preserved Canada’s slim 1-0 lead 90 seconds into the second period by stopping a streaking Magnus Svensson Paajarvi.