Player of the game for USA is Jake McCabe, the captain.

Team USA barrels onto the ice to celebrate the victory! We'll be back with a full recap, box score and post game videos plus much more from this huge win. Thanks for reading and wish USA congrats on the comment feed.

Final: USA 5 - CAN 1

1:10 - Kneeing penalty on Canada's Danault. All over but the horn and anthem

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2:00 - Penalty ends and Team USA is just 2 minutes from the gold medal game. Arriving there in stellar fashion over their bitter rivals nonetheless.

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3:48 - McCabe nearly gets the hat trick, but it's gloved

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Canada coming apart now. Camara called for high sticking. USA back to the power play.

USA 5 - CAN 1

4:19 - GOAL! Gaudreau scores on a breakaway top shelf glove side high! That moves him into second all time for a single tournament

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5:00 - The top line is being at least double shifted now for Canada. They are full court press now. Near miss that Gibson looked worried about

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Excellent back checking by Grimaldi. his motor hasn't quit ye

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6:55 - USA with two, three, four more chances. But Canada is hyper aggressive the other way. Lots of action

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Murphy chases down to break up a breakaway. PK over

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Remarkable save by Gibson! Everyone thought it was in on the back door and he made the save

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Cleared out of the zone and 1 minute left in PK

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Gibson makes one save then finds the puck in the scrum. What a glove save on Nugent Hopkins

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10:05 - High sticking call coming on Gaudreau. USA on the penalty kill

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USA is winning every single puck battle along the boards.

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11:33 - Great pass off the boards from Galchenyuk to Kuraly. His shot is smothered.

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Canada counters with a rush out of the zone and fires a wrister from the right dot but from that angle Gibson makes the glove save.

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Gibson slides across the crease and gloves down Strome's shot labeled for the far post.

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Gaudreau, Vesey and Miller on the ice with Trouba and Gostisbehere

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Gibson fell while out of the net and then has to flop around and somehow makes a save. Then Grimaldi and Biggs hook up for a shot and rebound chance on the other side that similarly stays out. Two lucky bounces on both sides.

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13:20 - Canada's top line cycles well in the U.S. zone and now an icing call on Team USA.

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Drouin sat down by Trouba as the Canadian tried to gain the zone.

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Canada is coming full bore now, challenging shots at the point.

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Power play comes to an end.

USA 4 - CAN 1

15:57 - GOAL The play is ruled a goal on the replay. So that's a short handed goal for Rattie

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It was Rattie with both shots, off the pipe and then into the net.

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15:57 - Shot off the pipe behind Gibson then a whistle just before Canada put the puck in the net. Under review

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Miller tries a cross slot pass to Barber on the one-timer but it's deflected out of play. Now it's 5-on-4 PP for USA for 1:09

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17:03 - Canada called for too many players on the ice so the U.S. has a 4-on-3 Power play

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Penalty was on Sieloff ... Gibson makes two saves then a shot goes past the open goal mouth! Today it's been Canada who is snake bitten on goals.

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18:12 - Sieloff gloved a floating puck in the D zone and Scheifele made knee-to-knee contact on him with a delayed call coming against the U.S. So we go 4-on-4

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Gaudreau found Miller on the far wing and he toe dragged before shooting but Binnington made the save.

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Penalty ends.

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Canada comes out hard on the PK forecheck despite being down a man. when they get the puck in their own zone they are immediately breaking out the other way.

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20:00 - With just under a minute of power play to go, Housley sends out Jones, McCabe, Gaudreau, Miller and Trocheck. Canada counters with Danault, Wotherspoon, Harrington and Jenner. We're off!

Start of Third Period: USA 4 - CAN 0

Teamka the tournament mascot is skating around the ice trying to pump up the crowd. The players will join him out there in a few minutes. Again, expect Canada to be extremely aggressive. On the PK they will even try to score at this point. So far the U.S. has avoided responding to the likes of Huberdeau on post-whistle scrums. That will be important. Housley wants his team to not let Canada back in the game at all. Giving a team this talented even a breath of life is dangerous.

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USA leads shots 26-18 after two periods. Gibson has been his usual rock solid self and has kept the handful of Canadian chances from becoming second and third chances that so often lead to goals.

Gibson also tallied his second assist of the tournament on Gaudreau's goal.

John Gaudreau's six goals — all of which have been tallied in the last three games – tie for sixth-most on the U.S. single-tournament goal list. Eighteen other players have posted a half dozen goals in a single IIHF World Junior Championship. If he gets his seventh goal he'll create five-way tie for second place.

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USA will have 55 seconds of power play when the third period starts. They nearly made it a 5-goal margin at the end of the second on the power play. Back in a few with analysis and some statistics. What do you think of the game so far? Share in the comments to the right?

End of 2nd Period: USA 4 - CAN 0

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1:06 - High sticking on Camara. He caught Jones in the face with his gloves more than stick but penalty either way. USA to the PP

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1:28 - The Grind Line does its job again and dominates in the O zone then Hartman gets back to break up a play. Now Grimaldi wth a near breakaway and he drops for a teammate and Binnington loses track of the puck! Finally Gibson reacts in time to catch an awkward bouncing puck. Great acion end to end

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Penalty comes to an end with a shot on Gibson gut from a distance and an easy save

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One minute left in the power play

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Canada is very aggressive on the PK now trying to get something started. Jones wisely backs it off and sets up the play

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5:39 - High sticking call on Reinhart. He hit Trocheck right in the face. The penalty will be just 2 minutes though.

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Canada's top line gets the puck in the U.S. corner and fires it at Gibson, there's a rebound but he holds on then Schiefele has his helmet knocked off in the ensuing shoving.

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6:31 - Icing on Canada. Grind Line again carrying the play. Hartman redirects a shot onto Binnington and nearly in.

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The play started in the U.S. end with an active defense breaking up Canada's attack and sending the puck out of the zone on the attack. Now will USA keep the intensity and urgency that has propelled them to this lead?

USA 4 - CAN 0

7:16 - GOAL! Vesey walks around Ouellet on a backhand-forehand deak then beats Subban low stick to the far post! Canada sends Subban to the bench

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Block by Murphy!

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Huberdeau is talking a lot after the play and shoving the U.S. players trying to spark his team and maybe a penalty

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USA benefited from an ice crew stoppage so that line can rest after the icing.

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7:49 - Icing call on U.S. Faceoff to Gibson's right

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Penalty on Murphy ends.

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Gibson gets his leg back to the post and holds the line on Drouin. Good save. Pietila pushed on the net and it came off and the Canadian crowd and bench want a penalty shot but the officials ruled the  net was already off when he pushed it.

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Aggressive PK againt for U.S. and they clear

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10:14 - Penalty for tripping on Murphy so Canada has a chance to get back in the game.

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10:55 - Icing call on Canada. Grind Line back out there

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Jones shoots through traffic and there's a scramble but nothing gets through. Penalty ends for Nugent-Hopkins

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Canada dumps twice and first minute of PP ends

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13:12 - Nugent Hopkins sent off for slashing. Now the U.S. gets a power play and a chance to open this game up in a very big way. The Americans have the best power play in the tournament.

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Drouin misses the top corner on a 2-on-1.

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14:15 Galchenyuk, Kuraly and Barber swarm the Canadian end and force an icing call. Now the Canadians skate tired against Gaudreau's line

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Gibson makes another save from the seat of his pants on a shot that came off the end boards right to Nugent Hopkins

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16:21 - Strome walks in alone on Gibson and goes forehand but can't slide the puck under Gibson. Tremendous save

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The U.S. has scored all of its goals glove side high on Subban. You have to wonder if coaches spotted something or if it's just what has been open today.

USA 3 - CAN 0

17:02 - GOAL! Gaudreau delivers a sniper quality shot glove high through a screen after a toe drag around Rielly. Big goal by Team USA's goal leader

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Gibson save on Huberdeau!

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Galchenyuk rips a wrister short side but Subban fights it off. Great save on a shot through traffic.

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18:43 - Galchenyuk, Barber and Kuraly on the ice

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Grind Line does a good job to push the issue in Canada's zone. Bardreau can absolutely fly. On the other end Canada shoots on Gibson then Nugeng-Hopkins pushed McCabe into Gibson and led to some shoving. No penalties

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20:00 - Housley sends out the Grind Line again (Bardreau, Pietila and Hartman) with McCabe and Jones. We're underway!

USA 2 - CAN 0 - Start of Second Period

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The teams are back on the ice as the U.S. tries to hold and expand on its 2-goal lead. The teams switch sides so the U.S. attacks the goal to my left and runs right to left across your computer screen.

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USA held a 12-8 shot advantage in the first that reflects the way they controlled the play for the majority of the period. Canada had its chances too. They are a lethal team and their fans here are just waiting for a reason to explode. Expect a surge from Canada to start the 2nd period. Team USA has come out early in the periods with their own surge in nearly every game so we could see an end to another interesting statistic: No penalties so far.

For two teams among the most penalized, the teams avoided the penalty box. If both teams surge at puck drop we could see an early tripping, hooking or holding penalty with desparate puck battles in the corner. A power play goal either way would swing momentum in a huge way.

What do you all think of the game so far? Where are you following us?

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That's exactly what the Americans wanted today. A fast start and scoring touch. The undefeated Canadians now have their first serious adversity of the tournament. Back in a bit with stats and analysis. Share your comments to the right.

End of First Period: USA 2 - CAN 0

Grimaldi fights through Reilly for the puck and sends it back into Canada's zone to run out the clock

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00:48 - Biggs, Trocheck and Grimaldi with Trouba and Sieloff

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USA has two turnovers in its zone but recovers. lucky. Last minute let down would be ugly

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Subban gloves Miller's wrister

USA 2 - CAN 0

2:41 - Another near goal by Bardreau! Canada has adjusted its breakout to a more aggressive setup. They are placing the weak side forward out of the zone for a long breakout pass trying to catch the U.S. off guard

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Pietila stays active on the back check and breaks up a pass throughe the zone! Shaibu chants from the crowd encouraging the Americans

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3:58 - GOAL! McCabe scores his second of the game! Grimaldi skated into the zone and his pass from the left side of the net went to the point and McCabe scored high glove.

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Nugent Hopkins' shot deflects off a defender and trickles wide of the net

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Reilly (U.S.) breaks up a shot/pass into the slot. Good stick. Gibson gloves a shot from the perimeter.

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Grind Line's Pietila lost the draw in the U.S. zone and Canada sets its play in motion for the back door. The D broke it up. Gibson with a huge save a minute later

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7:27 - Reilly has Canada's best chance from the high hashmarks, but Gibson makes the save and covers the reound in front of him

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The U.S. defense is doing a good job of winning the race to the puck in their own zone, which has limited Canada's chances to set up.

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9:34 - Icing call on Canada. USA is controlling most of the possession and the more aggressive team. It's Galchenyuk and co. on the ice with Jones and McCabe.

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11:32 - Canada turns over the puck in its own zone and Biggs almost scores.

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Seconds after the goal Canada has a rush but the defense breaks it up. Huge goal by the captain and the crowd loved it.

 

USA 1 - CAN 0

12:42 - GOAL! The captain McCabe wrists the puck through traffic and it finds the net! Huge pile of bodies around Subban and Barber passed it to McCabe at the point and he beat the goalie high glove

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Biggs fires a shot into the Maple Leaf on Subban's chest and he holds on. Faceoff coming with just under 5 minutes gone. Grind Line out now

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15:50 -Line changes both ways and Gaudreau dangles his way through for a backhand that just misses the top post stick side on Subban!

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Gibson holds the post and stops a shot that deflected off Jones and fluttered in on the goaltedner

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Gibson saves a wrister from Scheifele

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Biggs, Trocheck and Grimaldi get their first shift, Grimaldi tries to redirect a shot onto Subban from a sharp angle, but didn't get enough on it.

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Subban makes a save off of a Miller blast low on the left side. Close call there. USA had some pressure

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18:54 - Offsides call. High speed pace so far, as expected. Vesey, Gaudreau and Miller on the ice now

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20:00 - USA sends out Hartman, Bardreau and Pietila (Grind Line), with McCabe and Jones. Same starting lineup from the last few games. Canada matches with Camara, MackKinnon and McNeill with Ouellet and Reinhart! We're underway! USA loses the draw

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Gibson comes to the ice for Team USA and the crowd gives them a thunder stick ovation. The tournament mascot bear joined the team on the ice. Definitely a "home crowd" for Team USA

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Less than 4 minutes to go! Officials take the ice and teams are lining up to join them. Now the cheer for Canada, led to the ice by Subban.

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The zambonis have cleared the ice and replaced the nets. All we need is a puck and some players! If you have any comments or questions send them in to the right. We had more than 200 of you share good luck wishes for the team pre-game and printed out the comments for the guys. We'll do the same with anything from here that you want them to see. I'll also answer questions about the team, game and city.

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Warmups have come to a close and the teams head to their locker rooms for final instructions from coaches before the game. Housley is sure to preach his mantra of "stay the course" that has become his main talking points post-game regardless of victory or loss. Less than 20 minutes to puck drop.

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Inside 30 minutes until puck drop. Lots of Canadian fans in the sections in front of me but it will be largely Russians in the crowd. Let's see if the crowd gets into the game. Last time they were behind the USA.

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Canada will start Malcolm Subban in goal. He was very good against the U.S. in the preliminary round and will need similar performance today.

Forward lines

Nugent-Hopkins - Scheifele-Drouin (Drouin has impressed everyone in the tournament)

Rattie-Huberdeau-Strome

Ritchie-Danault-Jenner

Camara-Lipon-MacKinnon

McNeill is the 13th

Defensive pairings:

Harrington/Hamilton

Ouellet/Reinhart

Reilly/Wotherspoon

Murphy is the 7th

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Teams are on the ice for warmups! USA in the blues and Canada in the white jerseys. The U.S. starts the game skating left to right from my seat here in Ufa Arena. It's going to be a great game! Share your thoughts and predictions in the comment area to the right.

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Forward lines:

Kuraly-Galchenyuk-Barber (They'll need to lead on offense)

Miller-Gaudreau-Vesey (On fire the last two games)

Biggs-Grimaldi-Trocheck (If they can find the net, look out)

Bardreau-Pietila-Hartman (Grind Line has dominated and will need to do so again)

Lucia is the 13th

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Defensive pairings: Murphy/Reilly, Trouba/Sieloff, Jones/McCabe with Gostisbehere as the 7th

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In goal, the U.S. sends out rock solid John Gibson who has done nothing short of dominate this tournament so far. He's been the best penalty killer when the Americans put themselves shorthanded and then he's stuffed numerous odd-man rushes and smothered the rebound.

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Warmups are coming up in about 10 minutes. No lineup changes for the U.S. and why would coach Housley mess with a lineup that scored a 7-0 shutout yesterday against Czech Republic. I'll post the lineups for both teams next.

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We're one hour from game time. We'll be back soon to give you the full breakdown of Team USA's starting lineup and prepare for the big game against Canada.

Game Preview | Send Team USA Well Wishes

While we're waiting for the 4 a.m. ET puck drop, check out the videos below for a behind the scenes locker room tour.