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Going for gold! USA knocks off Russia in thrilling World Juniors semifinal

After getting eliminated three straight years by Russia, Team USA got its revenge at the World Juniors.

The Americans knocked off the Russians, 4-3, in a shootout today in Montreal. USA will now meet either Canada or Sweden in Thursday’s gold-medal game, while the Russians will have to settle for a chance to play for bronze.

It was a thrilling semifinal, one either side could’ve won. Each team had multiple chances to score in the 10 minutes of four-on-four overtime, but neither could finish.

The shootout went seven rounds and ended, finally, on a goal by Troy Terry, his third of the breakaway contest.

The 60 minutes of regulation were just as nerve-wracking.

Midway through the second, the Americans tied it at two on a pretty passing play between Wild prospects Jordan Greenway and Luke Kunin, the latter of whom drove the net and tipped the puck past Russian netminder Ilya Samsonov. Later in the period, Boston College’s Colin White scored his second of the game, and sixth of the tournament, to give the Americans a 3-2 lead.

Early in the third, Samsonov stopped USA’s Clayton Keller on a penalty shot. Shortly thereafter, Stars draft pick Denis Gurianov notched his second of the game, beating Tyler Parsons on a breakaway to make it 3-3.

Wild prospect Kirill Kaprizov had opened the scoring in the first with his tournament-leading eighth goal.

Read more: All four Wild prospects showing well at the World Juniors

The Americans have not won gold at the World Juniors since 2013 in Ufa, Russia, where Johnny Gaudreau led them in scoring.