The United States sits one win from history.

Gabe Perreault and Ryan Leonard had a goal and an assist each Saturday as the Americans beat Czechia 4-1 to book a place in the gold-medal game at the world junior hockey championship.

Cole Eiserman and Oliver Moore, into the empty net, also scored for the U.S., which will meet Finland in SundayB次元官网网址檚 championship showdown. The Scandinavians beat rivals Sweden 4-3 in overtime in the other semifinal.

Trey Augustine made 26 saves. Aram Minnetian had two assists.

Jakub Stancl replied for the Czechs, who will play the Swedes for bronze. Michael Hrabal stopped 21 shots.

The Americans B次元官网网址� owners of six world junior crowns, including victories in 2021 and 2024 B次元官网网址� have never topped the podium at consecutive tournaments.

B次元官网网址淚t would mean everything,B次元官网网址� said Perreault, a member of last yearB次元官网网址檚 squad. B次元官网网址淲e definitely have the team to do it. WeB次元官网网址檒l be ready to go.B次元官网网址�

Perreault opened the scoring for the Americans, set to host the 2026 event in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn., at 3:14 of the first period with his third goal at the menB次元官网网址檚 under-20 showcase. Stancl made it 1-1 at 9:28 with his tournament-leading sixth.

Eiserman then one-timed his third of the event at 13:41 of the second inside Canadian Tire Centre B次元官网网址� a building decidedly behind the Czechs.

Augustine went full-stretch with under 12 minutes to go in regulation to deny Adam Jecho, who scored the goal that eliminated Canada in the quarterfinals, from the lip of his crease.

B次元官网网址淐razy,B次元官网网址� Perreault said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e seen him do it plenty of times, but that was definitely a big one.B次元官网网址�

The U.S. put the game out of reach when Perreault fed Leonard for the American captainB次元官网网址檚 fourth at 15:33 of the third before Moore iced it into the empty net with his first.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檇 be unbelievable,B次元官网网址� American defenceman Cole Hutson said of going back-to-back. B次元官网网址淧robably the last time we ever get a chance to play with a lot of those guys in the room.B次元官网网址�

Benjamin Rautiainen scored on a power play at 9:22 of overtime to secure FinlandB次元官网网址檚 victory over Sweden.

The 19-year-old undrafted forward snuck a shot past Swedish goaltender Melker Thelin on a 4-on-3 man advantage with Vancouver Canucks prospect Tom Willander in the box for holding after the Finns killed off a penalty of their own earlier in the extra period.

B次元官网网址淰ery skilful guy at doing things like that,B次元官网网址� Finnish head coach Lauri Mikkola said of Rautiainen after his second goal in the nationB次元官网网址檚 capital. B次元官网网址淣obody expected when he shoots.B次元官网网址�

Emil Hemming, with a goal and an assist, Jesse Kiiskinen and Arttu Alasiurua provided the rest of the offence for the Finns, who havenB次元官网网址檛 won gold since beating the U.S. when they last hosted in 2019. Rimpinen made 43 saves. Konsta Helenius had four assists, while Topias Hynninen had two.

Otto Stenberg, with two goals, and Wilhelm Hallquisth replied for the Swedes. Thelin stopped 31 shots.

B次元官网网址淭ry to reset as much as you can,B次元官网网址� Stenberg said. B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 want to go home with fourth place.B次元官网网址�

FinlandB次元官网网址檚 last podium finish was a silver in 2022 when Canada B次元官网网址� bounced by the Czechs in the quarters for the second straight year Thursday B次元官网网址� topped the podium in Edmonton.

The Swedes, who have secured just two gold medals in tournament history and lost last yearB次元官网网址檚 title game to the U.S. on home soil, opened the scoring 1:22 into the middle period when Stenberg beat Rimpinen on a 2-on-1 for his second.

Finland, which beat the U.S. 4-3 in OT in the preliminary round, tied it when Hemming buried his first at 4:32. The Finns then had a goal called back for offside, but Kiiskinen made it 2-1 at 13:28 with his fifth on a power play.

Stenberg scored his second of the game at 18:07 to knot things up on a man advantage before Alasiurua pushed Finland ahead 3-2 with 20.8 seconds remaining in the period with his third.

The Swedes again tied the game at 11:32 of the final period when Hallquisth squeezed a shot through Rimpinen to set the stage for Rautiainen to send Finland, which hasnB次元官网网址檛 tasted defeat since falling 4-0 to Canada on Boxing Day, into SundayB次元官网网址檚 final.

B次元官网网址淢any times you need the time to grow up together,B次元官网网址� Mikkola said. B次元官网网址淭hat first game was the big lesson for this team. After that we are doing lots of things right. This is the result.B次元官网网址�