ICE HOCKEY: The closest of neighbours will once again become the best of enemies on Friday when they meet in the men's ice hockey semifinals at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games.

The first of the two games at Bolshoy Ice Dome is between Sweden and Finland, arguably the pre-eminent rivalry in Europe, and a rematch of the gold medal game from Torino 2006, won by the Swedes. 

The second pits the United States against Canada, the North American powers who met twice at Vancouver in 2010. The USA won the first game in group play but ultimately fell to the Canadians in the final. 

The victors of the two games will meet in the first transcontinental Olympic gold medal game to include NHL players, who first participated in Olympic ice hockey at Nagano in 1998.

"I want to beat them pretty badly, along with the rest of the guys," said Canada defenceman Drew Doughty (CAN). "USA is a really good team, and we know that, and we want nothing more than to beat them tomorrow."

Forward David BACKES (USA) echoed that sentiment.

"It seems like we were on a crash course to meet those guys," said BACKES, "and we get our chance in the semis instead of the finals, which would have been a little more storybook to have that rivalry rekindled. But to win a gold medal here you're going to have to beat the best teams in the tournament."

The game is likely to be an offensive battle rather than another of this tournament's defence-oriented slogs.

"The style of play matches up really well," said Backes. ''We're all NHLers on both teams; we play the same sort of North American gritty style of hockey."

The other semifinal between the Scandanavian arch-rivals is also sure to ignite passions.

"It goes way back," said forward Alexander Steen (SWE). "There have been some real classic games between the two countries and not just hockey games, but all sorts of different sporting events. It is definitely a special feeling going up against the Finns."

"Every year it's like the biggest game for us. It doesn't matter where you play."

Jori Lehtera (FIN) could not decide whether playing the old enemy was a bigger occasion than Finland's 3-1 quarterfinal win over Russia. 

"It's like 50-50, because the Olympics were here in Russia and they have good stars," said Lehtera. "But Sweden is always Sweden."