Canada beats USA to set up rematch with Czechia for WJHC gold

Canada is off to the gold-medal game of the World Junior Hockey Championship for the fourth year in a row after scoring six unanswered goals to beat the United States 6-2 in the semifinal on Wednesday.

The Canadians will square off against Czechia in the final on Thursday. The two nations met on Day 1 of the tournament, with the Czechs upsetting Canada 5-2.

The USA, meanwhile, will play Sweden for bronze.

The Americans got off to a hot start in the game, with 2022 No. 3 pick Logan Cooley opening the scoring just 1:19 into the contest and even taunting the raucous Halifax crowd. Kenny Connors then added another midway through the opening frame for USA, who was outshooting Canada at 9-0 at one point. But it was all Red and White the rest of the way.

Phenom Connor Bedard cut the lead in half less than two minutes after Connors' marker with his ninth goal of the tournament. Logan Stankoven buried the equalizer just 47 seconds into the second period, then Adam Fantilli got in behind the defense and went upstairs to give Canada the lead five minutes later.

USA appeared to have tied the game with a tally from Jackson Blake, but it was waived off after Canada successfully challenged for goalie interference. Have a look:

Shortly after, Joshua Roy replied with a backhand-shelf goal to double Canada's lead. Roy, the Montreal Canadiens prospect who led QMJHL with 119 points last season, went on to add an empty-netter, capping a four-point night.

The USA looked to respond early in the third period, but Canada once again successfully challenged for goalie interference after Rutger McGroarty pitchforked Thomas Milic's pad into the net.

Brandt Clarke, the Los Angeles Kings' 2021 eighth-overall pick, added another insurance marker later in the frame to give the Canadians a three-goal lead, and they never looked back.

The undrafted Milic turned in his best game of the tournament for Canada between the pipes, stopping 43 shots. He was named Canada's best player of the game after making several key stops.

Roy, Stankoven, and Bedard were named Canada's top three players of the tournament. Bedard added an assist in the game, giving him 23 points in seven games so far - good for fourth-most ever in a single tournament. A multi-point effort in the final would move him up to sole possession of second. Peter Forsberg holds the single-tournament record of 31.

Bedard also moved into a tie for fourth on the all-time WJHC scoring list with 36 points in 15 games. Forsberg (42), Robert Reichel (40), and Pavel Bure (39) are the top three on the list.

Cooley, Luke Hughes, and Jimmy Snuggerud were name USA's top three players of the tournament.