Germany triumphed 3-2 following a shoot-out but were facing elimination before an equalising goal from Leon Gawanke with 44 seconds of regulation time remaining kept them alive, and gave them a platform to triumph.

Ramon Untersander gave Switzerland a lead in the first period, before Fabrice Herzog doubled their lead in the second.

Tom Kuhnhackl pulled a goal back for Germany but it looked like they were going to come up short until Gawanke’s dramatic leveller in the final minute.

That sent the contest to overtime and with no further goals, a penalty shoot-out was required to decide the winner.

After both teams had efforts saved by the goaltenders, and missed further efforts, the fifth penalty was converted by Timo Meier to give Switzerland the lead.

Dominik Kahun then scored the next penalty to get Germany level and after the next three were saved by the goaltenders, Marcel Noebels beat Leonardo Genoni to send a German side that finished third in their group to the last four.

The United States, who topped their group and boasted the best record of any side in the first phase of the competition, with six wins from seven matches, put out a statement of intent in dispatching Slovakia 6-1.

Brian Boyle, Colin Blackwell and Conor Garland all scored first period goals as the US started strongly.

Peter Cehlarik pulled one back for Slovakia in the second period before the US stepped up a gear with Blackwell and Garland getting on the scoresheet again, while Sasha Chmelevski also netted to complete an emphatic victory.

Team ROC, who topped their group, were surprisingly beaten by Canada, who came from behind to prevail in overtime.

Things looked to be going to the form book when the ROC took the lead in the second period through Yevgeni Timkin.

Adam Henrique levelled for Canada in the third period before Andrew Mangiapane scored a winner two minutes into overtime finishing into an open net following good play from Troy Stecher, to send the Canadians through.

Defending champions Finland completed the semi-final line-up after edging past the Czech Republic 1-0.

Jere Innala’s 33^rd minute strike was enough to separate the sides and send Finland through to the last four where they will take on Germany.

The semi-finals are scheduled to take place in Latvia on Saturday (June 5) and while one will be an all European affair the other will pit neighbours the United States and Canada together.