With a 4-1 win over Denmark on Thursday, the United States finished second  
  in  
  Group A. Sonny Milano scored the second-period winner and added an assist.  
    
  Auston Matthews and Colin White also chipped in a goal and an assist apiece  
  for the Americans, and Matthew Tkachuk recorded two assists. Anders Bjork  
  had  
  the other U.S. goal.  
    
  Today I think we had a slow start, but we came together in the middle of the  
  game and capitalized on some chances, said Matthews, the U.S. scoring leader  
  with eight points.  
    
  The U.S. will face the loser of the Finland-Czech Republic game in the  
  quarter-finals. The Danes, who came fourth in the group, will take on  
  Russia.  
    
  Mathias Lassen replied for Denmark.  
    
  This was a more hard-fought game than the U.S.'s 10-1 shellacking of  
  Switzerland the night before. But the final result was the same: three  
  points  
  for the Stars and Stripes.  
    
  Tonight was a particularly difficult game when you consider the  
  circumstances,  
  said U.S. coach Ron Wilson. "We scored 10 goals the last game, and tonight  
  was  
  going to be a little bit harder, and it was. But our team responded the way  
  they should. They played a smart game for a team so young."  
    
  In a battle of backup goalies, the U.S.'s Brandon Halverson got the better  
  of  
  Denmark's Mathas Seldrup. Shots favoured the U.S 44-17.  
    
  With just one loss (1-0) to group-leading Sweden, the Americans look to be  
  heading in the right direction as they vie for their fourth gold medal of  
  all  
  time. They previously won the World Juniors in 2004, 2010, and 2013.  
    
  It's not about your draft stock or about how many points you have,  
  emphasizeed  
  Matthews, the projected #1 NHL pick for 2016. "It's about the team and it's  
  about winning the gold medal. That's what we came here to do."  
    
  Even though the Danes only returned to the elite division in 2015, they've  
  surprised the hockey world by making the final eight for the second straight  
  year. Facing last year's silver medalists in Russia is a difficult but  
  exciting challenge.  
    
  Denmark battled gamely in the early going. Swedish and Canadian fans  
  awaiting  
  the late game at the Helsinki Ice Hall supported the underdogs with chants  
  of  
  "Let's go, Denmark!"  
    
  The Danes responded by getting the opening goal at 10:14. Inside the U.S.  
  blue  
  line, Lassen picked off Louis Belpedio's ill-advised pass up the middle and  
  scored high to the glove side.  
    
  The U.S. knotted the score with 2:56 left in the opening stanza. Matthews  
  powered to the front of the net and got two cracks on two centering passes  
  from Tkachuk, capitalizing on the second one.  
    
  At 4:02 of the second period, the U.S. went up 2-1. Milano came out of the  
  penalty box after serving a bench minor for too many men, hustled to the  
  side  
  of the Danish crease, and banged in a rebound.  
    
  Outshooting Denmark 16-7 in the middle frame, the U.S. steadily took over  
  the  
  play, even though it remained a one-goal game. Kristian Jensen hobbled to  
  the  
  Danish bench after blocking a hard Brandon Carlo slap shot.  
    
  Early in the third period, Halverson made a big stop on Soren Nielsen on a  
  Danish shorthanded 2-on-1 break.  
    
  At 5:29, White thought he'd given the Americans a two-goal lead when he went  
  to the net and pivoted in front of Seldrup, directing the puck through the  
  goalie with his skate. However, the goal was video-reviewed and called back  
  for a distinct kicking motion.  
    
  It didn't matter. Eleven seconds later, Matthews pivoted at the right point  
  and sent a shot toward the net that White tipped home. Again, the play was  
  video-reviewed and the goal stood, as it was not a high stick.  
    
  On the power play, Bjork killed any hopes of a Danish comeback by tipping  
  home  
  a nice Milano pass from the right faceoff circle at 7:43 for a 4-1 lead.  
    
  We played well in all the games, said Wilson. "We finished second and  
  that's a  
  feather in our cap. Now we've got to prepare for the next game."  
    
  Not scoring with the man advantage has been a handicap for Denmark in this  
  tournament. Through four games, they remain the only World Junior team with  
  zero power play goals. (They have also only garnered six man advantages.)  
    
  U.S. forward Alex DeBrincat missed his second straight game after being  
  injured in the loss to Sweden on Monday.  
    
  It was just the second World Junior meeting in history between these two  
  nations. The U.S. hammered Denmark 11-3 on December 26, 2011 in Edmonton,  
  Alberta.  
    
  LUCAS AYKROYD  
    
  http://www.worldjunior2016.com/en/games/2015-12-31/DEN-vs-USA/#recap  
  --- SBBSecho 2.30-Win32  
   * Origin: TequilaMockingbird Online - Toms River, NJ (1:266/404)