Laila Edwards scored a hat trick setting up a chance for USA to defend their gold medal on home ice at the IIHF World Championships ousting Finland in the semifinals to advance to the gold medal game.

UTICA, New York — Another game, another historic moment for Laila Edwards. 

And her sights are set on one more.

The 20-year-old recorded a hat trick as the United States advanced to the gold-medal game of the IIHF Women's World Championship with a 5-0 win over Finland.

"It would mean everything, especially on home soil," Edwards said. "That would be incredible."

Edwards scored her first of the night on the power play at 13:14 of the second period. She collected a pass from Tessa Janecke at the bottom of the left circle and wristed inside the near-side post.

Her second 2 1/2 minutes into the third period came a little easier — a tap-in in front of an open net — following a spectacular between-the-legs move by Taylor Heise.

"I saw defense come at me and I kind of put it through my legs," Heise said. "It's something I practice enough to know that it'll work. I knew that if I hit the net someone was going to be crashing and she was right there to clean it up."

"The second goal was a beautiful pass by (Kirsten) Simms and Heise, just excellent puckwork and movement," Edwards said. "I was literally yelling at (Heise) behind her — 'wow, Taylor, keep going!' It was kind of funny. I just happened to get the rebound."

Edwards completed the feat at 6:24 of the third period, one-timing a Heise drop pass from the slot.

The 2022 Women's World U18 Championship MVP, Edwards made history earlier in the tournament as the first Black player to suit up and later score a goal for Team USA at a World Championship.

The United States will play in the championship for the 23rd time in as many tries. The Americans have won just once in four attempts on home soil. Team USA won gold in 2017 in Plymouth, Michigan.

Aerin Frankel finished with 13 saves for her fourth shutout of the tournament. Janecke, Heise and Simms had two assists apiece.

Hannah Bilka provided the only goal the U.S. needed midway through the first period. Ahola stopped Abbey Murphy's initial shot from the left side, but kicked the rebound into the slot. Bilka banked the puck into the net off defender Nelli Laitinen.

The Americans briefly lost veteran Kendall Coyne Schofield halfway into the game. The forward was pulled down by Finnish defender Siiri Yrjola while driving to the net. Coyne crashed into the end boards and appeared to injure her right shoulder. She left for treatment before returning with just under five minutes to go in the second period.

"You know when she goes off the ice that it hurt," Heise said of Coyne Schofield. "She came back to the bench, calm, cool and collected and goes out and rips through the rest of the game."

Despite being outshot 42-8 in the first two periods, the Finns kept the Americans to just two goals in that stretch.

"I think we played really good in the first and second," Finland captain Jenni Hiirikoski said. "We also had our own chances, but we need to use them against the U.S. They came really hard in the third one."

Ahola finished with 50 saves for Finland.

"I try to treat every game the same," Ahola said. "I love games where I get many shots. It keeps me on my toes. I don't get bored, so I kind of love that."

Finland will play for bronze for the first time since 2021 on Sunday. Since then, the Finns had dropped to Group B before earning promotion to Group A last year.

"We have been couple years out of these games, so it has been really, really nice to get the chance to meet (the U.S.) again," Hiirikoski said. "We have also a lot of young players and so we really need these battles."