Canada has already secured a better finish at this year's world junior hockey championship than in 2016.
Julian Gauthier scored twice as Canada beat the Czech Republic 5-3 to advance to the semifinals of the under-20 tournament.
Canada will face Sweden on Wednesday with a spot in the finals on the line. Last year the Canadians finished 6th -- their worst showing in two decades.
The other semifinal at the world junior hockey championship will see the United States take on Russia.
Leafs prospect Jeremy Bracco had a goal and an assist as the Americans beat Switzerland 3-2 in quarter-final play at Air Canada Centre.
And Russia downed Denmark 4-0 in the other quarter-final at Bell Centre in Montreal