Conor Garland Leads Team USA to IIHF Semi-Finals Victory

With two critical goals, winger Conor Garland propelled Team USA to a 5-2 victory over Finland in the IIHF World Championship quarter-finals on Thursday, ensuring their place in Saturday's semi-finals.

Despite an early deficit, the Americans surged ahead when Logan Cooley skillfully set up Garland for the opening goal, quickly neutralized by Finland's Eeli Tolvanen. Finland briefly led with Patrick Puistola's power play finish before the U.S. equalized through Zeev Buium, while Garland's second goal came from a lucky deflection.

Shane Pinto extended the lead in the second period, and Clayton Keller sealed the game with an empty net goal, ousting Finland at the quarter-final stage for the third straight year. Concurrently, Switzerland decisively beat Austria 6-0 in Herning, Denmark, while Canada and Sweden prepared for their own quarter-final matches.

(With inputs from agencies.)