World Juniors: Canada Beats Switzerland, Ready for Rematch with USA

Team Canada ended the Cinderella story for Switzerland in Saskatoon, beating them 6 to 1 in front of over 15,000 hockey fans.  

The Swiss upset the heavily favoured team from Russia to get into the semi-finals. Canada is favoured to win gold in the 2010 IIHF tournament but the USA could upset them if the two North American teams have a re-match in the final.

Canada beat Switzerland in the semi-finals of the IIHF World Junior Championship, 6 to 0, and is now ready for a re-match with the USA or to take on Sweden in the gold medal round.

Switzerland came out flying. They skated, hit, and shot with Team Canada, but Canada got on the scoreboard before the four minute mark when Jason Eberle took a pass in close and fired the puck high on Benjamin Conz, who stonewalled Russia to get the Swiss team into the semi-finals.

Eberle moved into second place in the all-time scoring race for Canada in this tournament, just one behind John Tavares, and tied Derek Stepan of the USA for points in the 2010 Championship. He set a Canadian record for scoring at least one point in 11 consecutive games.

Conz faced two dozen shots before Canada got a short-handed goal by Marco Scandella halfway through the second period.  Taylor Hall got his fourth goal of the tournament one minute and fourty-five seconds later.

Switzerland got on the scoreboard with a tip-in by Mauro Jorg while on the powerplay. 

Canada outshot the Swiss 30 to 8 in the first two periods but Conz kept them in the game.

Brayden Schenn made it 4 to 1 at the start of the third period and Stefan Della Rovere made it 5 to 1 with three minutes left. Seconds later, Taylor Hall got his second goal of the game and the fifth of the tournament with a highlight reel wraparound goal to make it 6 to 1.

Canada has never lost to the Swiss in this tournament and are a perfect 18-0-0 including a 6-0 victory earlier in the preliminary round this year.

Canada has captured a tournament record 15 gold medals.  Meanwhile the Swiss have medaled only once, winning the bronze in 1998.

Canada takes on the winner of the USA - Sweden game for gold and silver while Switzerland will play the other team for bronze.