Tuesday, January 3, 2012

ALLEN, FASCHING LEAD UNITED STATES TO SEMIFINALS WITH WIN OVER PACIFIC

Press Release

TECUMSEH, Ont. – Evan Allen and Hudson Fasching scored two goals apiece as the United States grabbed a semifinal berth at the 2012 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge thanks to a 4-2 win over Pacific on Monday night.

While the U.S. victory sends the Americans to a Tuesday semifinal date with Sweden in Windsor (7 p.m. ET), it sends Pacific crashing from first in Group A at the start of the day to out of the gold medal mix; the Canadian side will face Quebec for fifth place Tuesday night in LaSalle (7 p.m. ET).

One night after scoring a hat trick in a win over West, Anthony Louis contributed three assists to the U.S. win, while J.T. Compher followed up Sunday’s four-point performance with a pair of helpers. The Americans are in the semifinals for the sixth consecutive U17 tournament; it has won one gold medal, three silver and a bronze in the previous five.

Torrin White (Medicine Hat, Alta./Moose Jaw, WHL) and Morgan Klimchuk (Calgary, Alta./Regina, WHL) scored the goals for Pacific, which needed a win, an overtime loss or a one-goal loss in regulation in order to qualify for the semifinals. Klimchuk’s goal with 26 seconds remaining gave the Canadians a chance, but it instead will play for fifth for the second time in three years.

(Nathan can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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