Auston Matthews, Sonny Milano and Colin White each recorded a goal and assist to lead Team USA to a 4-1 win over Denmark on Thursday during the 2016 World Junior Championships at Helsinki Ice Hall.
The win locks up second place in Group A for the Americans and a date with Czech Republic in the quarterfinals. The Danes will face Group B winner Russia. Sweden, who is 35-0 in the preliminary round since 2009, won Group A and will face Slovakia. Canada will play host Finland.
Matthew Tkachuck had two assists, while Anders Bjork scored and defenseman Louie Belpedio and Brandon Fortuanto picked up an assist.
Markus Jensen scored the Danes’ lone goal off a Belpedio, a Skokie, Ill. native, turnover. Belpedio came from behind the net and sent the puck straight to Jensen, who fired a shot past Brandon Harvelson, who made his first start of the tournament. Harvelson, a 2014 Rangers‘ draft pick, stopped every shot he faced in 32 minutes of relief work in Wednesday’s 10-1 rout of Switzerland.
Matthews opened the scoring off a feed from White in the first period. Matthews, the 2016 NHL Draft top prospect, was in front of the net when he lifted his fourth goal of the tournament past Mathias Seldrup.
Milano scored the go-ahead goal by knocking in a rebound just four minutes into the second. Belpedio was credited with the assist. White looked to have scored, but the goal was waived off because of a kicking motion. Moments later Matthews fired a shot from the blue line and White deflected it in. Bjork added his first of the tournament to round out the scoring.
After registering a goal and an assist against Switzerland, Chicago Blackhawks prospect Nick Schmaltz was held off the scoresheet.