OTTAWA - University of Minnesota freshman Jordan Schroeder scored a pair of goals and also had an assist for the United States in a 4-3 win over the Czech Republic at the world junior hockey championship Sunday.
Schroeder, who is eligible for the 2009 NHL entry draft, leads the U.S. in scoring with three goals and four assists in two games, though individual stats aren't the forward's main concern.
"I'm focused on winning," Schroeder said. "I'm glad we got the win today and it was big for the round robin. If we would have lost that game, it could have been a different story."
New Hampshire's James van Riemsdyk, the second overall pick in the 2007 NHL draft by Philadelphia, contributed a goal and an assist. Michigan's Matt Rust also scored in the win, which tied the U.S. with Canada at 2-0 atop Pool A.
"Playing with van Riemsdyk and (Colin) Wilson, I knew we'd have a big impact in the tournament. They're great players, fun to play with and they make plays," Schroeder said.
The top team in each of the two pools earns a bye to the semifinals. The runners-up face the third-place team from the opposite pool in the quarter-finals.
Goaltender Thomas McCollum, who plays for the Ontario Hockey League's Guelph Storm, earned his second win of the tournament by stopping 24 of 27 shots.
Ondrej Roman, a Dallas Stars draft pick who won a Memorial Cup with the Spokane Chiefs last season, Ottawa's 67's defenceman Martin Paryzek and forward Jan Kana replied for the Czechs (0-2)
Czech goaltender Dominik Furch made 23 saves on 27 shots.
The Americans face Kazakhstan (0-2) on Tuesday and conclude the preliminary round Wednesday against Canada, a game Schroeder is looking forward to.
"Right now we're focused on Kazakhstan, but it will be fun when we get there," he said.