CONACHER SCORES TWICE TO LEAD CANADA EAST TO ALL-CANADIAN SEMIFINAL

YARMOUTH, N.S. – Shane Conacher (Burlington, Ont./Burlington, OJHL) scored twice, both on the power play, and Canada East had three goals on the man advantage overall as it advanced to the semifinals at the 2012 World Junior A Challenge with a 4-0 quarter-final win over the Czech Republic on Thursday night.

The victory sets up an all-Canadian semifinal on Friday (7:30 p.m. AT) between Canada East and Canada West.

Charlie Finn (North Vancouver, B.C./Kingston, OJHL) made 25 saves for the shutout, posting Canada East’s second shutout ever at the World Junior A Challenge – the other came in last year’s preliminary round against, ironically, the Czech Republic.

Matt Buckles (Toronto, Ont./St. Michael’s, OJHL) and Troy Josephs (Whitby, Ont./St. Michael’s, OJHL) had the other goals for Canada East, which outshot the Czechs 28-25. Josephs finished with a goal and an assist, while Blaine Byron (Manotick, Ont./Kemptville, CCHL) chipped in with a pair of helpers.

Canada East is winless in four all-time meetings with its western counterparts, including three gold medal games (2006, 2007, 2011) and one semifinal, a 9-1 Canada West victory at the 2009 tournament in Summerside, P.E.I.

Rene Svoboda took the loss in the Czech Republic goal, turning aside 24 shots. The Czechs will face Russia in Saturday’s fifth-place game (2 p.m. AT), the second year in a row the two teams have met for fifth.