Blake Pietila (5th round, 2011) and Team USA advanced to the semifinals of the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship on Wednesday with a 7-0 win over the Czech Republic. Pietila contributed four shots, went 1-for-2 on faceoffs and finished a plus-1 as the U.S. advanced to face Canada in Thursday's semifinal.

Pietila registered two assists on Dec. 27, when the Americans opened the tournament with an 8-0 rout of Germany. He finished the four-game preliminary round with two assists and six shots, but posted a plus-4 and an 11-for-16 (69%) record on draws. The Michigan Tech (CCHA) sophomore has 10 goals and two assists in 17 games with the Huskies.

Maxime Clermont

LW Stefan Matteau (1st round, 2012) had two goals Sunday and was a plus-3 for Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL) in his first junior game since U.S. National Junior Team training camp. Matteau, who was one of the final two skaters cut  from the U.S. squad, has three goals and an assist in his final two December games for the Armada.

D Damon Severson (2nd round, 2012) closed out a productive month for Kelowna (WHL) while riding a three-game points streak (4a). The 6-2, 190-lb. blue liner posted two goals and 14 assists for 16 points in 11 games last month, including a five-game points streak (2g-9a) from Dec. 8-15. With 26 points (5g-21a), Severson is the top-scoring defenseman for the Rockets, who have won 14 in a row at home.

LW Reid Boucher (4th round, 2011) ended December on a five-game points streak (6g-4a) for Sarnia (OHL), wrapping up a month in which he netted eight goals and five assists in nine games. Boucher carried his streak (now at six) into 2013 with two assists in the Sting’s New Year’s Day win over London. Boucher’s 27 goals are tied for the most in the OHL.

G Scott Wedgewood (3rd round, 2010) enjoyed a 4-0-1 run in December, including three straight wins from Dec. 19-27 for Trenton (ECHL). He needed 39 saves to beat Fort Wayne on Dec. 22, then held Reading to one goal in a victory five days later.  His 5-3-2 mark for the month improved his overall record to 10-8-2 with a 2.90 GAA and .905 save percentage.

G Maxime Clermont (6th round, 2010) ended December with three straight victories, including back-to-back performances with 40-or-more saves. He made 40 stops in Elmira’s (ECHL) triumph over Evansville on Dec. 28, then delivered 43 on New Year’s Eve to lead the Jackals past Wheeling. Clermont went 4-2-0-1 for the month, upping his season totals to 6-5-1-1 with a 3.47 GAA and .897 save percentage.

D Reece Scarlett (6th round, 2011) put up one goal and two assists over his final three games in December to improve his month's totals to three goals, four assists in nine contests with Swift Current (WHL). Scarlett leads Broncos defensemen with 20 points (5g-15a).

Scarlett’s teammate, F Graham Black (5th round, 2012) notched three goals, three assists in December. He’s third on Swift Current with 30 points (16-14a).

LW Ben Johnson (3rd round, 2012) picked up points in his final two December contests to improve to three goals, three assists in 10 games in the month. The Windsor (OHL) forward has seven goals, eight assists this season.

LW Ben Thomson (4th round, 2012) posted four goals in December, bringing his season totals with Kitchener (OHL) to seven goals and six assists.

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