Brad Marchand, Frank Vatrano To Battle In World Championship Semis

Two Boston Bruins wingers will go head-to-head Saturday in Russia with a trip to the 2016 IIHF World Championship final on the line.

Brad Marchand will suit up for Canada, which waxed Sweden 6-0 in Thursday’s quarterfinal round, against Frank Vatrano and Team USA, which punched its ticket to the semis by edging the Czech Republic (and fellow B’s winger David Pastrnak) 2-1 in a shootout.

Marchand has tallied three goals and two assists in eight games at Worlds, including one tally in Thursday’s blowout win.

Vatrano, meanwhile, has lit the lamp just once during the international competition but has dished out five assists for a young American squad.

Canada defeated its southern neighbors 5-1 during the preliminary round and is vying to become the first nation to win back-to-back world titles since Russia did so in 2007 and 2008. The U.S., on the other hand, has won bronze in two of the last three World Championships (including 2015) but hasn’t played in a gold-medal game since 1960.

Thumbnail photo via James Guillory/USA TODAY Sports Images