By Amy Tennery MILAN, Feb 16 (Reuters) - The United States beat Sweden 5-0 in the women's ice hockey semi-finals on Monday to reach the Winter Olympics gold medal game for a fifth time in a row, keeping on a collision course with arch rivals Canada.

The hockey player’s family put out a statement ahead of the Olympics saying they are filled with both “pride and heartache” knowing how much the Olympics meant to the late NHL star.

Canada's "Captain Clutch" Marie-Philip Poulin broke the women's all-time Olympic goal-scoring record with her 19th goal - and added a 20th minutes later for good measure - during her team's semi-final game against Switzerland on Monday.

MILAN (AP) — Aerin Frankel stopped 21 shots for her third shutout of the Olympic women’s hockey tournament and the favored United States advanced to the gold medal game by defeating Sweden 5-0 at the Milan Cortina Games on Monday.

Canada's "Captain Clutch" Marie-Philip Poulin broke the women's all-time Olympic goal-scoring record with her 19th goal - and added a 20th minutes later for good measure - during her team's semi-final game against Switzerland on Monday.

United States women's ice hockey team coach John Wroblewski deflected the spotlight and handed it straight to his players after the United States surged to the brink of Olympic gold with a commanding 5-0 semi-final win over Sweden on Monday.