American captain Jake McCabe scored the first two goals helping lead Team USA to a 5-1 semifinal win over Canada in the U20 WJC. They advanced to the gold medal round and face defending champion Sweden Saturday.

Much earlier today, an American tale continued. In the highly anticipated rematch, Team USA upset Canada to advance to the gold medal game in the U20 World Junior Championship. They defeated Canada 5-1 to play for gold against defending champion Sweden, who later edged host Russia in a shootout 3-2.

Team captain Jake McCabe tallied twice in a dominant first that set the tone. The Sabres’ 2012 second round selection picked a great time to deliver his best game of the tournament. With USA in full attack mode, he took a Riley Barber feed and rifled home the game’s first goal past a screened Malcolm Subban. A maze of traffic in front caused Subban not to see it. A common theme throughout.

John Gibson continued his mastery, finishing with 33 saves. That included a stone job on a point blank Canadian chance off a rebound. The Ducks goalie prospect made an acrobatic kick save to preserve the USA one-goal lead. Moments later, McCabe registered his second of the period. Off an identical play, he stepped into a Rocco Grimaldi saucer pass and wired one high glove on a befuddled Subban. The Bruins’ 2012 No.1 pick again never picked up the shot. That’s how much traffic he dealt with.

The first period saw no penalties called. Team USA outshot Canada 12-8 and had three odd-man rushes. If not for Subban, they might’ve been up by more. Canada wasn’t sharp from the outset. They repeatedly turned the puck over. In the first match back on 12/30, Team USA couldn’t penetrate the Canadian defense. This time, coach Phil Housley made a good adjustment. His team established a forecheck early that put Canada on the defensive. They uncharacteristically coughed up the puck.

“We didn’t have the start that we wanted,” lamented Canadian coach Steve Spott. “We gave the Americans a lot of time and space with the puck.

“That start to the game put us in a hole that we weren’t able to recover from. … Ultimately, the legs simply weren’t there in the first period and that cost us.”

Perhaps the extra day off hurt their momentum. They went a perfect 4-0 in Group B, dominating Russia 3-1 on New Year’s Eve. Spott offered no excuses, referencing a good team practice the day before.

The start of the second was wild. A more aggressive Canada opened it up. Searching for a way to beat a razor sharp Gibson, they had their chances. One shift saw both teams fly up and down the ice. Three different odd-man breaks occurred. On one end, Gibson thwarted a Canadian opportunity. He started the play that led to Johnny Gaudreau’s first of two on the night at Ufa Arena. Gibson moved the puck to McCabe, who sprang Gaudreau for a one-on-one with defenseman Ryan Murphy. The elusive Gaudreau toe dragged around Murphy using him as a screen for a laser top shelf. It was one for the highlight reel. Earlier in the contest, he undressed someone and got off a dangerous backhand that just missed. This time, he burned Murphy for his sixth of the tournament, steering USA ahead 3-0.

“We got the start we wanted, scoring the all-important first goal,” Housley pointed out. “We wanted to dictate the pace of the game early and we were able to do that and then it carried into the second period. We’re going to enjoy this win tonight and then start thinking about the gold medal game tomorrow.”

Moments later, Gibson robbed Islander ’11 No.1 pick Ryan Strome with a glove save, keeping his team up three. Strome took a cross ice feed and fired only to stare in disbelief. Gibson has been unbelievable. It continued in the #WJC2013 semifinal. He later denied Strome again with another lightning quick glove stop. Canada attacked better in the second but came away empty handed. On their first power play, they didn’t even register a shot- looking for the perfect play to get on the board.
Frustration crept in with several Canadian shots missing their target. They tried to go high. Jonathan Drouin had a golden opportunity but missed the net.

On one end, Canada couldn’t buy a goal. On the other, the United States continued to have success against Subban. Forward Jim Vesey extended the lead to four by converting on a two-on-one. Ranger 2011 first rounder J.T. Miller started the play with a perfect outlet to Gaudreau. The speedy Boston College wing passed for a cutting Vesey, who chased Subban from the net. He was replaced by St. Louis prospect Jordan Binnington. It wasn’t his fault. That’s how putrid Canada’s D was. If not for Binnington who stopped 25 of 26, it would’ve been much worse. He was splendid in relief.

Binnington denied McCabe of a hat trick. Facing a three-on-one, the athletic netminder turned away the American defenseman, sliding across to rob him. Grimaldi made a no look back pass to McCabe, who had half the net to shoot at. Instead, Binnington made a fantastic save. Canada still trailed 4-0 after two.

Spott’s club came out much stronger in the final stanza. With nothing to lose, they consistently worked the puck in and mounted an all out attack. They controlled most of the third. Ironically, it was a questionable shorthanded goal that broke Gibson’s shutout. Ty Rattie broke in and hit the post. With confused IIHF officials unsure if it went in, they blew the whistle as Rattie steered home the rebound into a vacated net. It looked to come after the whistle, which likely wouldn’t have counted in an NHL game. 😛 They reviewed it and decided to count the goal. Phillip Danault was given the only assist later.

Canada trailed 4-1 with 15:57 left. Plenty of time to mount a comeback. Against Russia in the same round last year, a furious rally fell short. At one point, they trailed 6-1. However, Canada got the next four. Russia escaped. For a few moments, it looked like the Canadians were intent on rallying. On a power play, they had several chances to cut it to two. But Gibson wouldn’t allow it. After stoning Strome, he made a low glove save on Nathan MacKinnon. Then thwarted three straight point blank opportunities, including a stare down with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins with the American goalie getting a piece of a shot that should’ve made it 4-2.

On the opposite end, Binnington did his part to give Canada a chance. He made several big stops, including an acrobatic kick out while in mid-air. Gaudreau erased any doubt beating Binnington on a breakaway. He used the same move, toe dragging to the middle before wiring one top shelf. It was his seventh goal in the last three games. All coming in do-or-die situations. As clutch as it gets for the diminutive 5-9, 150 pound forward who Calgary stole in the ’11 fourth round. You can’t measure the size of heart. This kid has it. Think Martin St. Louis, who burned the Flames with the Lightning. Gaudreau has that kind of ability.

In the closing moments, frustration boiled over for Danault who took a run at Ryan Hartman hitting him with a dangerous knee before taking a whack at him after the whistle. He received a two-minute kneeing minor. Team USA ran out the clock and celebrated the big win- moving one step closer to a third WJC title. They’ll have to go through the best. Who wouldn’t have it any other way?

Notes: McCabe (2-1-3) and Gaudreau (2-1-3) each registered three points. Eight different Americans hit the score sheet with half posting multi-point efforts, including Vesey (1-1-2) and Miller (0-2-2). … Grimaldi and Barber tallied assists. … Mike Rielly and Vince Trocheck added helpers on McCabe’s first two markers. … Discipline was a factor. USA took only three penalties (6 PIM). Canada had eight (16 PIM). Both North American clubs took the collar on the power play with USA going 0-for-6 while Canada went 0-for-2. … Team USA gets a day off before playing Sweden for the gold Saturday with the start time at 8 AM on the East Coast (7 PM Russian). … Canada renews their historic rivalry with Russia for the bronze.