THE SERIES: U.S. VS BELARUS
All-time, the U.S. is 3-0-0-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L) against Belarus. The two teams last met on Dec. 29, 2004, when the U.S. fell to Belarus, 5-3, in preliminary-round play of the 2005 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship in Thief River Falls, Minnesota.
     The United States will enter the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship as hosts and defending gold medalists while Belarus, which competed in the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship, returns to the top-level championship after winning last year's Division I tournament.

LAST MEETING: BELARUS 5, USA 3
The United States fell to Belarus, 5-3, in preliminary round of the 2005 event in Thief River Falls, Minnesota. Phil Kessel (Madison, Wis.), Drew Stafford (Milwaukee, Wis.) and Mike Brown (Northbrook, Ill.) each scored for the U.S.

CAMP CONTINUES IN JAMESTOWN, N.Y.
Last night, the U.S. National Junior Team arrived in Jamestown, New York, to continue its tournament preparations. After an initial five-day camp in Columbus, Ohio, the U.S. will train in Jamestown for three days, which will be bookended by a pair of pre-tournament games against Belarus at Northwest Arena today and against Sweden on Friday (Dec. 22) at Erie Insurance Arena in Erie, Pennsylvania. Puck drop for both games is 7 p.m. ET and tickets can be purchased here.

2018 IIHF WJC: TEAM USA OUTLOOK
Team USA will face Canada, Denmark, Finland and Slovakia in Group A of this year’s preliminary round. Team USA’s tilts against Denmark, Finland and Slovakia will be held at the KeyBank Center while its meeting against Canada will take place outdoors at New Era Field, home of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills. Quarterfinals will be played at KeyBank Center and HarborCenter while the semifinal and medal games will be played at the KeyBank Center. Visit  teamusa.usahockey.com/worldjuniors2018 for more details surrounding the U.S. National Junior Team.