WILKIE’S THREE POINTS HELP AMERICANS TO WIN OVER QUEBEC AND SEMIFINAL SPOT

VICTORIAVILLE, Que. – Chris Wilkie finished with a goal and two assists to help the United States to a 5-1 win over Quebec on Monday night at the 2013 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, clinching a semifinal berth for the Americans.

The U.S. has now reached the semifinals at the last seven World Under-17 Hockey Challenges, dating back to the 2006 tournament. It has won one gold medal, four silver and a bronze at the previous six.

Jack Eichel, Ryan MacInnis, Austin Poganski and Ryan Bliss also scored the Americans, who dominated the Canadian side, outshooting Quebec 47-18, 33-6 in the first and third periods combined.

Sonny Milano was the only other U.S. skater to record multiple points, picking up two assists.

Nicolas Aubé-Kubel (Sorel, Que./Val-d’Or, LHJMQ) had the lone goal for Quebec, which has lost four in a row to the Americans; it last beat the U.S. by a 4-1 count in preliminary round action at the 2004 tournament in St. John’s, N.L.

After Eichel opened the scoring with a power play early in the first period, the Americans did their scoring in quick succession in both the second and third – MacInnis and Poganski scored 2:42 apart, while goals from Bliss and Wilkie came in a span of 97 seconds.

Julio Billia (Montreal, Que./Chicoutimi, LHJMQ) was busy in the Quebec goal, making 42 saves, while American netminder Chris Birdsall turned aside 17 shots to register the win.

The U.S. is off Tuesday before finishing the preliminary round on Wednesday afternoon in Drummondville against Slovakia (1:30 p.m. ET), while Quebec faces the Slovaks at the Centre Marcel-Dionne on Tuesday night (7:30 p.m. ET).