Facing France

On Saturday, the U.S. Under-18 Men’s National Team had its final pre-exhibition practice in advance of it’s exhibition game with France on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. local (10:30 a.m. ET).

France will play in the top division of the IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship for the first time following a first place finish at the 2017 IIHF Under-18 Group A Men's World Championship. France went 4-1 following wins against Germany (4-2), Denmark (4-2), Hungary (6-3) and Norway (3-2) and a 5-0 loss to Kazakhstan.

The game will pit the defending world champions with a team playing its first game at the highest level of the age group as the U.S. and France will meet for the first time ever.

The U.S. is (14-0-0-2-0) all-time pre-tournament exhibition games and hasn't lost since 2012.

Here is a summary of previous exhibition games:

April 10, 2017 vs. Finland | W, 5-2

April 7, 2017 vs. Belarus | W, 5-2

April 10, 2016 vs. Denmark | W, 5-1

April 8, 2016 vs. Finland  | W, 6-1

April  13, 2015 vs. Finland | W, 7-2

April 11, 2015 vs. Germany  | W, 8-3

April 14, 2014 vs. Germany | W, 9-1

April 14, 2013 vs. Canada | W, 4-1

April 9, 2012 vs. Sweden | L, 2-3

April 11, 2011 vs. Finland | W, 4-2

April 9 vs. Canada | L, 1-2

April 10, 2010 vs. Slovakia | W, 7-3

April 8, 2010 vs. Belarus | W, 13-2

April 6, 2009 vs. Sweden | W, 9-0

April 4, 2009 vs. Germany | W, 9-0

April 10, 2008 vs. Denmark | W, 5-0

Team USA IIHF MU18 History At A Glance

The United States enters the 2018 IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship having medaled in 15 of the past 19 tournaments, including a tournament record 14 consecutive medals.

Overall, the U.S. holds 10 gold medals, three silver medals and two bronze medals. Seven of its 10 gold medals have come in the last nine years (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017).

All-time, Team USA is 90-7-3-24-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L-T) in 125 tournament games. In gold-medal games the United States is 8-2-0-3 (W-OTW-OTL-L). From 2009-2015, Team USA  competed in a tournament record seven consecutive gold-medal games, winning six times and falling just once.