AMERICANS THROUGH TO SEMIS AFTER WIN OVER SWEDEN

PENTICTON, B.C. – Less than 24 hours after Switzerland booked its spot in the semifinals of the 2010 World Junior A Challenge the United States joined the Swiss in the final four, wrapping up first place in Group A with a 5-1 win over Sweden on Wednesday afternoon.

Four players – Seth Ambroz, Max Gaede, Cason Hohmann and Sam Warning – had a goal and an assist each as the Americans (2-0) posted their second-consecutive one-sided win, following a 6-1 victory over Canada East in Monday’s tournament opener.

Jimmy Mullin continued his hot start for the U.S., notching his tournament-leading fourth goal just 3:21 after the puck dropped, the lone goal of the first period.

It was the second period where the Americans started to pull away, with Gaede, Hohmann and Ambroz scoring in a span of 7:25 for a 4-0 U.S. advantage.

Alexander Lagerstrom finally got the Swedes (0-2) on the board just past the midway point of the middle frame, beating American netminder Zane Gothberg, but Warning got that back just 10 seconds into the third – setting a WJAC record for fastest goal to start a period in the process.

The win means the Americans will have two days off before Saturday’s semifinals, while the Swedes will wait for the result of Wednesday’s late game between Canada West and Russia before finding out who they’ll play in Thursday’s quarter-finals.