GAMEDAY
The U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team opens its preliminary-round schedule at the 2019 IIHF Under-18 Women's World Championship today against Russia at Obihiro Forest Ice Arena. Team USA will wear its white jerseys tonight. The game will be streamed live on IIHF.com (see schedule below for direct links) and live game updates will be provided on Twitter.

FACING THE RUSSIANS

The U.S. holds a 10-0-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record against Russia all-time in IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship play. The two teams last met on Jan. 7, 2018 in the preliminary round of the 2018 tournament, where the U.S. earned a 5-3 win. U.S. forward Taylor Heise (Lake City, Minn.) scored twice  in the victory.

GOING FOR FIVE

Team USA enters the tournament seeking its fifth consecutive gold medal at the IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship, having won gold at the 2018 competition in Dmitrov, Russia, 2017 in Zlin & Prerov, Czech Republic, 2016 in St. Catharines, Ontario, and 2015 in Buffalo, New York. The U.S. also claimed gold at the 2011, 2009 and 2008 competitions.

BACK FOR MORE

The roster features nine players that helped the U.S. earn gold at last year’s IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship in Dmitrov, Russia, including Hannah Bilka (Coppell, Texas), Hadley Hartmetz (Phoenixville, Pa.), Katy Knoll (Amherst, N.Y.),  Abbey Murphy (Evergreen Park, Ill.), Maggie Nicholson (Minnetonka, Minn.), Casey O'Brien (Milton, Mass.), Dominique Petrie (Hermosa Beach, Calif.), Sydney Shearen (Hugo, Minn.) and Makenna Webster (St. Louis, Mo.). Webster led the team at last year’s tournament with two game-winning goals and nine points. A two-time world champion having won gold at both the 2017 and 2018 Under-18 Women's World Championship tournaments, Petrie is the lone U.S. player in pursuit of her third straight gold medal.