A hat trick from Drake Batherson helped lift Canada over the Czech Republic and into the gold medal game against Sweden at the .

Batherson (New Minas, N.S./Cape Breton, QMJHL) had four points in the 7-2 semi-final win and is now tied for the goal scoring leader of the tournament with six goals in seven games.

馃帺馃帺馃帺. Unbelievable. Atta boy, .

B次元官网网址� Hockey Nova Scotia (@HockeyNS)

B次元官网网址淣ot getting the invite this summer, I think I saw a few guys last year who had a good start; got an invite to came and ended up making the team so maybe I thought I could be like that and itB次元官网网址檚 worked out. I just worked on my game all summer, just progressing as a player and getting better every day,B次元官网网址� said Batherson about his impact in his first international experience representing Canada.

Canadian forward speaks after scoring a hat trick in the 7-2 semi-final win against the Czechs at .

B次元官网网址� IIHF (@IIHFHockey)

Canada, which includes B.C. players Dillon Dub茅 (Cochrane, Alta/Kelowna Rockets, WHL), Cal Foote (Kelowna/Kelowna Rockets, WHL) and former Penticton Vees player Dante Fabbro (Coquitlam/Boston University, HE), heads to the gold medal game for the second straight year. They are one win away from extending their world juniors record to 17 gold medals in 24 tournaments.

Sweden is seeking their 16th gold medal, but first they will have to figure out how to solve CanadaB次元官网网址檚 power play, the best in the tournament with a 56.5 per cent effectiveness rate. Canada has out scored opponents 36-10.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 going to be a different game, itB次元官网网址檚 a tournament and itB次元官网网址檚 a different group. I think our guys have learned a lot this year. We went through a lot in the first round and tonight with the way we played the game, trailing 1-0 early, guys didnB次元官网网址檛 panic and we established our game. All those things we need to take and play our best game (Friday). They (Sweden) have a lot of skill and theyB次元官网网址檙e playing well, thereB次元官网网址檚 a reason why theyB次元官网网址檙e in the final. It will be a great game,B次元官网网址� said Canadian head coach Dom Ducharme.

Back to the gold medal game they go! WeB次元官网网址檒l see you tomorrow at 8 !! 馃嚚馃嚘

B次元官网网址� WJC 2018 in Buffalo (@WJCinBUF)

Friday marks 10 years to the day that Matt Halischuk scored in overtime to give Canada a 3-2 win over Sweden and their fourth consecutive gold.

In the other semi-final, the host U.S. were downed by Sweden 4-2. Sweden opened scoring in that game with 6:30 remaining in the first period. They then scored three goals in a two-minute span near the midway mark of the middle frame to give them a 4-0 lead.

B次元官网网址淭his was a tough night for us but I thought we fought to the very end,B次元官网网址� said Bob Motzko, head coach of the 2018 U.S. National Junior Team. B次元官网网址淔ortunately, this tournament isnB次元官网网址檛 over. ThereB次元官网网址檚 still a medal at stake and I know our guys are going to be ready to make our country proud.B次元官网网址�

The gold medal game takes place at 5 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 5. The U.S. will face the Czech Republic in the bronze medal final at 1 p.m.

As voted by CanadaB次元官网网址檚 coaching staff, the best three players for 馃嚚馃嚘 at are Drake Batherson, Cale Makar and Conor Timmins.

B次元官网网址� #WorldJuniors (@HC_WJC)