Members of Team Canada celebrate a goal by Adam Fantilli during second-period world junior hockey semifinal action against the United States in Halifax on Jan. 4, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese

By CKOM News

Go Canada Go

Going for gold: Canada beats U.S. to advance to fourth straight world junior final

Jan 4, 2023 | 10:22 PM

Canada is off to the final at the 2023 world junior hockey championship — the fourth straight time the country has reached the tournament’s gold-medal game.

The defending champions scored six straight goals to beat the United States 6-2 in a semifinal Wednesday in Halifax, giving Canada a berth in Thursday’s gold-medal game against Czechia.

The Czechs advanced with a 2-1 overtime victory over Sweden in the other semifinal. Czechia is in the gold-medal game for the first time since 2001 — the last time that country won the tournament.

Canada beat Russia in the 2020 final, lost to the U.S. in 2021, and defeated Finland in the 2022 gold-medal game.

The game will give the Canadians a chance to avenge their only loss of the tournament. The Czechs beat Canada 5-2 when the teams met Dec. 26.

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The U.S. and Sweden will tangle for the bronze medal early Thursday afternoon.

On Wednesday, the Americans entered the semifinal having won five of the past six meetings with Canada, including a 2-0 victory in the 2021 gold-medal game.

The Americans got off to a fast start, with Logan Cooley sliding a shot between the legs of Canadian goalie Thomas Milic just 1:19 into the game.

The U.S. stretched its lead at 10:30 of the first when Kenny Connors put a rebound past Milic, but Canada’s Connor Bedard cut the American advantage to 2-1 with his tournament-leading ninth goal.

The Canadians came out flying in the second period, with Logan Stankoven tying the game just 47 seconds into the frame and Adam Fantilli putting Canada up 3-2 at 5:46.

The Americans appeared to tie the game at 7:22 of the middle period on a goal by Jackson Blake, but the goal was waved off after Canadian head coach Dennis Williams successfully challenged for goaltender interference.

Just five minutes later, Joshua Roy scored to give the Canadians a 4-2 lead. Bedard drew an assist for his 23rd point of the tournament.

Just 38 seconds into the final frame, the Americans thought they had a goal when Rutger McGroarty pushed the puck into the net from under Milic’s pad. Williams again challenged the play and the goal was waved off for goaltender interference.

Brandt Clarke scored at 9:45 to make it 5-2 for Canada and Roy sealed the deal with an empty-net, shorthanded goal at 16:45.

Milic was tested 45 times in the game. The Canadians had 37 shots on the American net.