Ice hockey-Canada through to world championship semis after win over US

FRIBOURG, Switzerland, May 28 (Reuters) – Canada cruised to a 4-0 win over reigning champions the United States to book their spot in the semi-finals of the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship on Thursday, surviving a third-period onslaught to gain some revenge over the Americans, who beat them in the Olympic final.

The Canadians will face Finland in the last four, with hosts Switzerland taking on a Norway team who are guaranteed to at least equal their best-ever tournament finish of fourth from 1951 thanks to a 2-0 win over Latvia.

The 2-1 overtime loss at the Winter Games in February was a painful one for the Canadian side, who crashed out of last year’s worlds at the quarter-final stage after suffering a 2-1 defeat by Denmark in one of the greatest upsets in the sport’s history. 

Thursday’s clash in Switzerland was a much less dramatic affair, with Canada taking the lead late in the first period with a power-play goal from Macklin Celebrini, who whipped the puck into the top-right corner past the glove of Devin Cooley for his sixth goal of the tournament.  

Dylan Holloway doubled Canada’s advantage at the halfway point of the second frame, slamming home the puck at the second attempt after a quick breakaway, but the Americans mounted a furious fightback in the final period in a desperate effort to stay in the tournament. 

However, Canada goaltender Jet Greaves pulled off a string of fine saves to preserve his shutout, and Connor Brown and Sidney Crosby both scored into an empty net late on to seal victory for their side.

In the afternoon’s other last-eight clash Finland thumped the Czech Republic 4-1 to book their spot in the last four against the top-seeded Canadians.

Norway’s first visit to the last eight since 2012 saw them squeeze through to the last four after a tight encounter with the Latvians, Tinus Luc Koblar giving them the lead midway through the game and Noah Steen putting the icing on the cake with 16 seconds left, and they are now guaranteed at least a place in Sunday’s bronze-medal game.

Their reward for that resilience is a semi-final clash with Switzerland, who showed steel in coming back from a goal down to beat Sweden 3-1.

Linus Karlsson gave Sweden the lead at the 6:21 mark in the first period but Roman Josi equalised and, after the Swiss scored twice in the second period to take a 3-1 lead, the Swedes had no answer as they limped out of the tournament.

The semi-finals take place on Saturday, with the bronze- medal game and the final on Sunday. The remaining four games will all be played at the Swiss Life Arena in Zurich.  

(Reporting by Philip O’Connor; editing by Clare Fallon)