CRIMMITSCHAU, Germany – Tyler Biggs (Cincinnati, Ohio) scored the game-winner 4:22 into overtime, as the U.S. Men's National Under-18 Team topped Canada, 5-4, here tonight in the semifinals of the 2011 International Ice Hockey Federation World Men's U18 Championship. Reid Boucher (Grand Ledge, Mich.) also notched two goals in the victory, which sent the U.S. to the gold-medal game tomorrow against Sweden at 12:30 p.m. EDT, at Crimmitschau Arena. The game will be streamed live on FASTHockey.com.

Team USA will look to capture its third straight gold medal after garnering back-to-back world titles in 2009 and 2010.

"We are fortunate to have held on for the win against such a good Canadian team," said Ron Rolston, head coach of the U.S. Men's National Under-18 Team. "The puck bounced our way in overtime and now we have to prepare for a talented Sweden team."

Canada opened the scoring early in the first period, but J.T. Miller (East Palestine, Ohio) responded for the U.S. midway through the frame. After Team USA blocked a shot, the puck caromed off a U.S. player and into the neutral zone, where Miller picked it up and skated to the net, snapping a shot past Canadian goaltender Malcolm Subban.

Team USA then took a 2-1 lead heading into the second intermission, when Miller sent a pass from behind the net to an open Boucher in the slot, who ripped a shot past the outstretched glove of Subban.

The U.S. opened the third period with back-to-back shorthanded goals to gain a 4-1 edge.Zac Larraza (Scottsdale, Ariz.) gave the U.S. a two-goal cushion 6:43 into period, when he skated with the puck up the right side boards and wristed a shot under the crossbar for the score. Just 33 seconds later, Boucher wired a shot past Subban for his second goal of the night.

Canada narrowed the margin to 4-2 just 1:59 later. Then, still down two goals with two minutes remaining in regulation, Canada took advantage of a power-play opportunity and sent an extra attacker to the ice, notching a 6-on-4 goal at the 18:25 mark of the third. Forty-four seconds later, Canada struck again with an extra attacker to force overtime.

U.S. goaltender John Gibson (Pittsburgh, Pa.) stopped five shots in the extra frame, before Biggs snapped a shot past Subban to send Team USA to the gold-medal game.

Gibson made 38 saves in the win for the U.S., while Subban stopped 37 shots in the loss for Canada.

NOTES: Reid Boucher was named Team USA's Player of the Game. The forward now has seven goals in five games to rank second in scoring at the tournament. He has at least one point in each game for the U.S. and nine points (7-2) total ... J.T. Miller has recorded points in every game and owns four multi-point efforts. Miller is fourth in total points (4-7--11) among all skaters in the tournament ... Ron Rolston has led Team USA to the IIHF World Men's Under-18 Championship game each of the four times he has been behind the bench ... The U.S. has captured a record seven consecutive medals at the IIHF World Men's U18 Championship, including back-to-back gold medals in 2005-06 and 2009-10, two silver medals (2004, 2007) and one bronze (2008). Team USA also captured the gold medal in 2002 ... All 22 players on the 2011 U.S. Men's National Under-18 Team come from USA Hockey's National Team Development Program, based in Ann Arbor, Mich. ... Team USA coverage throughout the 2011 IIHF World Men's U18 Championship, including game recaps, photos and videos, can be found on USAHockey.com and Facebook. For live U.S. scoring updates, follow @USAHockeyScores and #U18WMC on Twitter ... The gold-medal game will be streamed live on USAHockey.FASTHockey.com... All 22 members of the 2011 U.S. Men's National Under-18 Team train with The Hockey IntelliGym, a revolutionary new software program released on October 1, 2010 that trains hockey sense. To learn more, visit USAHockeyIntelliGym.com.

GAME SUMMARY

Scoring By Period

USA 1 - 1 - 2 - 1 - 5
CAN 1 - 0 - 3 - 0 - 4

First Period - Scoring: 1, CAN, Ritchie (Murphy, Quine), 4:37, (5x3 pp); 2, USA, Miller (unassisted), 11:14. Penalties: USA, Russo (tripping), 2:47; USA, Boucher (delay-of-game), 3:52; USA, Carlson (boarding), 15:51.

Second Period - Scoring: 3, USA, Boucher (Miller), 16:10. Penalties: CAN, Smith (10-minute-misconduct), 0:26; CAN, Catenacci (boarding), 4:30; CAN, Andrews (high-sticking), 4:55; CAN, Murray (slashing), 11:06.

Third Period - Scoring: 4, USA, Larraza (Boyd), 6:43, (sh); 5, USA, Boucher (Miller), 7:16, (sh); 6, CAN, Ritchie (Cousins, Quine), 9:15, (6x4 pp); 7, CAN, Murray (Quine, Ritchie), 18:25, (ea); 8, CAN, Scheifele (Murray, Cousins), 19:09. Penalties: USA, Grimaldi (hooking), 5:53; USA, Biggs (roughing), 8:41; USA, Bardreau (delay-of-game), 17:51.

Overtime Period - Scoring: 9, USA, Biggs (unassisted), 4:22. Penalties: None.

Shots by Period 1 2 3 OT Total
USA 4 21 14 3 42
CAN 12 13 12 5 42
           
Goaltenders (SH/SV) 1 2 3 OT Total
USA, Gibson, 64:22 12-11 13-13 12-9 5-5 42-38
CAN, Subban, 62:44 4-3 21-20 14-12 3-2 42-37

Power Play: USA 0-3; CAN 3-6

Penalties: USA 6-12; CAN 4-16