Canada advances to World Junior semifinals

BUFFALO, N.Y. Casey Cizikas scored a tiebreaking goal at 17:28 of the second period as Canada overcame outstanding goaltending from Benjamin Conz to post a 4-1 victory over Switzerland in the quarter-finals of the world junior hockey championship on Sunday.
The victory put Canada into a semifinal showdown on Monday night with the host United States, the team that ended Canada's five-year winning run with an overtime victory in the final last year in Saskatoon.
"It's the U.S.," said Canadian coach Dave Cameron. "There will be a lot of emotion but at this stage of the tournament it comes down to how we play, regardless of the opponent."
Louis Leblanc scored 4:17 into the third to secure a win that gave Canada a 19-0 all-time record against Switzerland. Zack Kassian, back from a two-game suspension for a hit to the head, scored into an empty net with 1:59 to play.
Canada outshot the Swiss 50-22, including 23-7 in the first period, but saw Conz make several spectacular saves to keep his mostly overmatched team in the game.
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