Team USA continues to rack up goals (36) and wins (5-0) at the World Junior Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden. Head coach David Carle has now guided the USA to a semifinal game against Finland on Thursday, January 4th.

A goal by BC’s Drew Fortescue 1:31 into the first period gave the USA an early lead. Ten minutes later, another BC sniper, Gabe Perreault, gave the Americans a 2-0 lead. The USA exited the first period on the heels of Michigan’s Seamus Casey goal to hold a 3-1 lead at the first break.

Another Michigander, Rutger McGroarty, struck in the second period to give the Yanks a 4-1 edge. Will Smith (the Fresh Prince of BC) and Perreault gave the USA a commanding 6-1 lead at the end of two periods.

The third period was uneventful with both teams scoring a goal. University of Minnesota’s Oliver Miller made it 7-1. Latvia scored the final goal in the third to close the gap to five and end the game at a 7-2 score, favoring the USA.

Elsewhere, the shocker of the quarterfinals was Canada losing to Czechia, 3-2, on a goal with just 11 seconds left in regulation. Switzerland pushed Sweden to OT but the tournament hosts pulled it out. It’s entirely likely that this tournament will end with a USA – Sweden final if the Americans can slip past Finland on Thursday. You can watch all of Team USA’s games on NHL Network.