Rangers’ Gabe Perreault scores twice, United States advances to World Junior semifinals
Gabe Perreault had his signature game of the 2024 World Junior Championship on Tuesday and helped the United States advance to the semifinals in the process.
A first-round pick by the New York Rangers in the 2023 NHL Draft, Perreault was named the United States best player in their 7-2 win against Latvia in the quarterfinals.
The 18-year-old forward scored his first goal of the tournament at 11:42 of the first period to give the U.S. a 2-0 lead. Perreault hit the open net from the bottom of the left circle after a pretty passing play. He later batted a deflected puck out of the air and into the net to make it 6-1 at 19:39 of the second period.
Perreault also made a gorgeous pass on a 2-on-1 rush that Will Smith buried for a goal and a 5-2 lead at the 16-minute mark of the second. The Rangers prospect has six points (two goals, four assist) in five games after the three-point outing Tuesday.
Related: Adam Sykora scores, but Slovakia eliminated from WJC
Rangers’ Drew Fortescue and Adam Sykora also score first goals at 2024 WJC
Before Perreault’s heroics, Rangers prospect Drew Fortescue scored his first goal for the United States to give them a 1-0 lead just 1:31 into the game. The defenseman wired a left-wing shot glove side for his second point (1-1-2) in five games.
Fortescue was plus-four and logged 16:21 in ice time against Latvia.
Earlier in the day, Adam Sykora scored his first goal at the 2024 WJC. Slovakia’s captain was named their player of the game, but Slovakia was eliminated after a 4-3 overtime loss to Finland.
Sykora finished with two points (goal, assist) in five games. The 19-year-old forward had one goal in five games at last year’s World Juniors and one goal in four games in the 2022 WJC.
The United States will play their semifinal game on Thursday.
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