SOCHI, Russia — This is what Team USA wanted: another crack at Canada, a chance to avenge an overtime loss in the 2010 Vancouver Olympic men’s hockey final, and a chance to make this journey and story uniquely its own.

The U.S. men continued their strong offensive showing with a 5-2 victory over the Czech Republic in the Sochi quarterfinals, setting up a semifinal meeting Friday with Canada. By contrast, Canada needed a third-period goal by Shea Weber to defeat Latvia, 2-1, in its quarterfinal.

If Canada has had to squeeze past opponents to get this far, the U.S. has barged through by averaging nearly five goals a contest and has improved with each game.

“I think we were destined and on a crash course for each other. It happens to be in the semifinals instead of the finals, like Vancouver,” said center David Backes, a force all over the ice Wednesday with wingers Dustin Brown and Ryan Callahan on the newly christened Meat Line.

“I think both teams will be very excited to play each other and will need no motivation, and it’s going to be some great hockey played Friday night.”

The U.S. and Czechs were even in the first period on goals by James van Riemsdyk and Ales Hemsky when Backes set up Brown below the left circle for the go-ahead goal at 14:38. Backes scored with 1.8 seconds left in the period and Zach Parise, by the left post, gave the U.S. a 4-1 lead in the second period, which led the Czechs to pull goaltender Ondrej Pavelec and substitute Alexander Salak.

Backes, who said he’s the beef, Brown is the pork and Callahan is the chicken on their Meat Line, said Team USA’s robust scoring shouldn’t be a shock. “There’s a lot of talented guys on this team and I’m on it too,” he said. “It seems to be a great balance and we’ve got guys willing to do the dirty work.”

U.S. goalie Jonathan Quick stopped 21 shots to do his part to set up the U.S.-Canada rematch.