PIESTANY, Slovakia – Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team will play for the gold medal at the 2014 U18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup after defeating the United States 11-5 in Friday’s semifinal in Piestany. Canada will face the Czech Republic, which defeated Sweden 4-3 in the other semifinal, in the gold medal game on Saturday in Breclav, Czech Republic (11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT).

On Friday, Canada got a hat trick from Dylan Strome (Mississauga, Ont./Erie, OHL) and at least one point from 16 of its 18 skaters to record the semifinal win. Travis Konecny (Clachan, Ont./Ottawa, OHL) scored twice, while Jansen Harkins (North Vancouver, B.C./Prince George, WHL), Mathew Barzal (Coquitlam, B.C./Seattle, WHL), Lawson Crouse (Mount Brydges, Ont./Kingston, OHL), Adam Musil (Delta, B.C./Red Deer, WHL), Mitchell Stephens (Peterborough, Ont./Saginaw, OHL) and Tyler Soy (Surrey, B.C./Victoria, WHL) added singles for Canada, which reached double-digits in goals in a summer under-18 game for the first time since 2000.

Canada finished first in Group B in preliminary round play with a 3-0 record, including wins over Switzerland (5-1), Sweden (5-1) and Slovakia (5-1). The Czech Republic finished atop Group A, also with a 3-0 record.

Saturday’s game will mark the 20th all-time summer under-18 meeting between Canada and the Czech Republic; Canada holds a 15-2-2 advantage in the first 19 match-ups.

NOTE TO MEDIA: All media inquiries during the 2014 U18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup can be directed to Francis Dupont, Hockey Canada’s manager of communications, who can be reached at [email protected]. 

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team, please visit www.hockeycanada.ca, or follow along through social media at www.facebook.com/hockeycanada, www.twitter.com/hockeycanada and www.twitter.com/hc_men.