U.S. BEATS SWISS
Former Gophers defenseman Alex Goligoski had a goal as the U.S beat Switzerland 5-2 on Tuesday in the World Championships in Helsinski, Finland. Paul Stasny had a goal and two assists for the Americans.
Next the U.S. will play Finland again at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in the tournament's quarterfinals. The NBC Sports Network will televise the game live. The U.S. beat the Finns 5-0 on Sunday in the preliminary round. The U.S. is 6-1 in the tournament so far.
Thursday's quarterfinals
Upper bracket
Canada vs. Slovakia
Sweden vs. Czechs
Lower bracket
Russia vs. Norway
U.S. vs. Finland
Semifinals are on Saturday, the championship game on Sunday.
Here is where the other teams in the World Championships finished:
9. France
10. Latvia
11. Switzerland
12. Germany
13. Denmark
14. Belarus
15. Italy
16. Kazakhstan
BADGERS SIGN D-MAN
Eddie Wittchow, a 6-4, 220-pound defenseman from Burnsville, has signed with Wisconsin. He will join the Badgers for the 2012-13 season.
He is playing now for Waterloo of the USHL. In 60 regular-season games, Wittchow had five goals and 13 assists for 18 points and, in nine playoff games, he has four assists. He was a team-best plus-22 before postseason play.
Waterloo is tied with Green Bay at 1-1 in the best-of-five Clark Cup finals.
PARADE SET FOR VEES
The town of Penticton, British Columbia, will have a parade at 4 p.m. Wednesday to honor its Junior A hockey team called the Vees.
It won the RBC Cup on Sunday in Humboldt, Saskatchewan, which goes to the best Junior A team out of 133 in Canada.
After the parade, there will be a celebration and an awards presentation at the South Okanagen Events Center.
Eight of the players on the Vees roster this season were from Minnesota, including the three Reilly brothers, who will all play for the Gophers next season, and coach Don Lucia's son, Mario, who will play for Notre Dame.
AWARDS AT DU
Junior co-captain Drew Shore was named the MVP, the best offensive player and the three-star points leader for the Denver Pioneers who finished 25-14-4. After the season ended, he signed with the NHL's Florida Panthers.
Also leaving school early were sophomore forwards Jason Zucker and Beau Bennett, who signed with the Wild and Pittsburgh, respectively.
Named the most inspirational player was goalie Sam Brittain. The top freshman was defenseman Joey LaLeggia, the most improved player Chris Knowlton, a junior forward.
Defenseman Paul Phillips, a junior fro Darien, Ill., was named the team captain, Knowlton and Shawn Ostrow, a junior forward, the alternate captains.
