Local Hockey Players Help Team USA Reach World Junior Championship

Several players from western Pennsylvania, including one from Washington County, helped the Junior USA hockey team to a 5-1 victory over Canada to reach the gold medal game in the World Junior Championship.

Upper St. Clair native Vincent Trocheck scored one goal in USA's 5-1 win over rival Canada in Ufa, Russia.

Meanwhile, Whitehall native John Gibson has surrendered just one goal in two playoffs games to help lead Team USA to the Under-20 World Ice Hockey "Junior" Championships. That game will be held at 8 a.m. Eastern time on Saturday in Russia.

Riley Barber of Washington has played well in the tournament so far with three goals and three assists through six games in the tournament.

Forward J.T. Miller of Coraopolis has two goals and six assists through six games.

The United States (4-2) will now face undefeated Sweden—3-2 winners over Russia in Thursday's other semifinal—for the gold. The gold-medal game is at 8 a.m. on Saturday on the NHL Network and live streamed on NHL.com.