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The United States crushed Canada, 5-1, on Thursday to advance to the gold medal final of the World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia.

After a surprisingly easy victory, the Americans watched as the defending champion Sweden beat host Russia, 3-2, in a shootout four hours later to also reach Saturday’s final. The gold medal game will start at 8 a.m. Eastern time and will be shown live on the NHL Network.

Already the tournament can be deemed a big success for Team USA, solely on the basis of the triumph over Canada, who had been undefeated. The victory avenged a 2-1 loss to the Canadians earlier in the tournament.

On Thursday, Wisconsin defenseman Jake McCabe, a Sabres draft choice, and Boston College forward John Gaudreau, a Flames pick, each had two goals and an assist as the United States outshot Canada, 42-34. McCabe went plus-4, while the Rangers minor leaguer J.T. Miller and defenseman Seth Jones, the projected No. 1 pick in the next N.H.L. draft, each went plus-3.

John Gibson, a Ducks draft pick who plays for Kitchener of the Ontario Hockey League, stopped 33 of 34 shots for the Americans, allowing only a shorthanded goal to Canada’s Ty Rattie in the third period. The United States was ahead at the time, 4-0.

The Americans are 3-2 over all in the tournament, an improvement from last year, when they finished 1-3 and failed to make the tournament’s knockout phase. The United States has won the tournament twice, in 2004 and 2010.

Gaudreau leads the team in scoring with 9 points from 7 goals and 2 assists. Close behind are defenseman Jacob Trouba (4 four goals, 4 assists), Miller (2 goals, 6 assists), and Jones (1 goal, 6 assists), the youngest player on the roster.