The United States advanced to the quarterfinal round of the 2013 World Junior Championship with an 8-3 victory against Slovakia in a must-win game Monday, the final day of group play and will play the Czech Republic in the quarterfinal round Wednesday.

The Americans finished with two wins and six points in pool play, good for third place in Group B. If Slovakia had won Monday, it would have taken third place.

Under the tournament format, the United States play the second-place qualifier from Group A in a cross-over game. That team became the Czech Republic later Monday when Sweden defeated Finland, 7-4, to solidify the Group A standings.

With a full complement of 13 forwards for the first time, Canada coach Steve Spott has decided to shuffle his lines heading into the game Monday against Russia.

The winner of the game will clinch Group B and a bye into the semifinals. The loser will finish second in the group and play the third-place team from Group A in a quarterfinal Wednesday.

Canada's most striking change is on the top line, where top 2013 NHL Draft prospect Jonathan Drouin will play at left wing, alongside center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and right wing Mark Scheifele. Drouin has a goal and two assists in three games.

The United States advanced to the quarterfinal round of the 2013 World Junior Championship with an 8-3 victory against Slovakia in a must-win game Monday, the final day of group play.

The Americans finished with two wins and six points in pool play, good for third place in Group B. If Slovakia had won Monday, it would have taken third place.

The Americans' opponent in the quarterfinal, however, remains up in the air.

Under the tournament format, the United States will play the second-place qualifier from Group A in a cross-over game.

The United States earned a spot in the medal round with a 9-3 rout of Slovakia on Monday, the final day of preliminary round play.

John Gaudreau and Vincent Trocheck each had two goals and an assist to lead the U.S. attack. Jimmy Vesey, given an expanded role after serving as the 13th forward in the first three games, had three assists.

The U.S. also killed off six of seven Slovakia power plays, including a pair of extended 5-on-3 Slovakia power plays in the second period.

Vincent Trocheck scored a pair of goals as the United States continued to build its lead and just about clinch a spot in the medal round, leading Slovakia 8-2 after 40 minutes.

The Americans had to start the period killing off the final 1:50 of Shayne Gostisbehere's slashing major, and after surviving that, they took advantage of their own man-advantages.

John Gaudreau's second goal of the game at 4:55 made it 6-2 at 4:55, and then Gaudreau set up Trocheck for a power-play goal at 6:16 to make it 7-2.

Trocheck, a Florida Panthers prospect, then scored his second to make it 8-2 at 10:00 of the period. He won a faceoff in the Slovakia end, skated to the net and scored off the return pass from Tyler Biggs.

The United States rediscovered its offensive groove when it needed it most, filling the net early and often against Slovakia to take a 5-2 lead after 20 minutes of the final Group B game for each team.

The winner of this game advances to the medal round, which begins Wednesday. The loser moves to the relegation round.

Jimmy Vesey, promoted to the top line after being the 13th forward for the first three games, led the charge with a pair of assists in the period.

The teams traded breakaway goals early, as the U.S. took a 1-0 lead on a Cole Bardreau goal, but just 14 seconds later Slovakia's Matus Matis tied it.

U.S. captain Jake McCabe put his team ahead when he pinched in and lifted a backhander off a nice pass from Vesey at 5:10. John Gaudreau made it 3-1 when he scored in close on a rebound at 9:00.

United States coach Phil Housley has switched one of his lines as his team faces Slovakia on Monday with a berth in the medal round on the line.

Jimmy Vesey, who had been the 13th forward in the first three games, will switch spots with Rocco Grimaldi and start on a line with John Gaudreau and J.T. Miller as the U.S. tries to re-discover its offensive touch. The team hasn't scored gotten a goal from a forward since the third period of its opening game against Germany.

John Gaudreau - J.T. Miller - Jimmy Vesey

Alex Galchenyuk - Sean Kuraly - Riley Barber

Blake Pietila - Cole Bardreau - Ryan Hartman

Mario Lucia - Vincent Trocheck - Tyler Biggs

Rocco Grimaldi

The Slovakian National Junior Team moved one step closer to advancing into the medal round of the 2013 World Junior Championship on Sunday following a 2-1 overtime decision against Germany in Ufa, Russia.

New York Rangers prospect Peter Ceresnak, the only player on the Slovakian roster to be drafted by an NHL team, blasted a shot from the left circle that beat German goalie Marvin Cupper high on the short side. Ceresnak's goal, off an assist from top 2013 draft-eligible prospect Marko Dano, came 1:40 into the extra period and with Slovakia on the power play.

In successive losses to Russia and Canada at the 2013 World Junior Championship, the U.S. National Junior Team has only managed two goals.

Both those markers have come off the stick of a defenseman -- Jacob Trouba.

The United States had eight different goal scorers in an 8-0 victory over Germany in its tournament opener on Thursday, including one each from forwards Sean Kuraly, Alex Galchenyuk, Riley Barber, J.T. Miller and Ryan Hartman.

Now facing a must-win situation against Slovakia on Monday in Group B play, that win over Germany seems like an eternity ago right about now for U.S. fans.

Victories by Canada and Finland in Sunday's early games at the World Junior Championship have clarified the qualification picture just a bit.

Canada held off the United States in a much-anticipated Group B showdown, using the heroics of goalie Malcolm Subban to claim a 2-1 win Sunday. In Group A, Finland erased two two-goal deficits against Switzerland to claim a 5-4 victory in a shootout. Markus Granlund had two goals in regulation and the winning shot in the shootout, which went five rounds deep.

Canada's victory gives the Canadians a temporary hold on the top spot in Group B and assures them of a place in the medal round, which begins Jan. 2. Canada is the only team left in the tournament with a perfect record, 3-0-0-0 for nine points.

On Sunday, the Canadians play the host Russians, who have eight points from three games. Russia needed overtime to beat Slovakia. The winner of the Russia-Canada game (9 a.m., NHLN-US) will earn the top seed from Group B and a bye into the semifinals. The loser will have to play in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.