The U.S. Men's National Team faces Latvia this afternoon in its fourth preliminary round game of the 2018 IIHF Men's World Championship here in Herning, Denmark. Puck drop is set for 4:15 p.m. local time (10:15 a.m. ET) at the Jyske Bank Boxen and will be televised live in the U.S. exclusively on NHL Network.

U.S. SECOND, LATVIA FOURTH IN GROUP B
Both teams enter today's game with three games played. The United States sits in second place with eight points, 12 goals for and just four goals allowed, the fewest in Group B. Latvia holds fourth place with five points, nine goals for and 10 goals against. Rounding out the other top four spots is Finland (1st, nine points) and Canada (3rd, seven points).

BOWMAN JOINS TEAM USA'S BLACKHAWKS CONTINGENT
Stan Bowman, general manager of the Chicago Blackhawks and member of USA Hockey's Men's National Team Advisory Group, arrived in Herning this morning. The son of Hockey Hall of Fame member, and current senior advisor for the Blackhawks, Scott Bowman, Stan was named general manager of the Blackhawks in 2009. Since being tabbed GM, the Blackhawks and current U.S. captain Patrick Kane (Buffalo, N.Y.) have gone on to win three Stanley Cups (2010, 2013, 2015) and one President's Trophy (2013). In addition to Bowman, the U.S. has four players and one staff members with ties to the Chicago Blackhawks. In addition to Kane, both alternate captain Connor Murphy (Dublin, Ohio) and Alex DeBrincat (Farmington Hills, Mich.) skated for the Blackhawks this season, which was U.S. assistant coach Don Granato's (Downers Grove, Ill.) first season as an assistant coach for the Blackhawks. Additionally, U.S. netminder Scott Darling (Lemont, Ill.) was part of Chicago's 2015 Stanley Cup-winning team, becoming the first Chicago-area native player to win a Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks.

U.S. MEN'S NATIONAL TEAM ADVISORY GROUP
The staff and players of the 2018 U.S. Men's National Team are selected by Bill Zito (Columbus Blue Jackets), general manager of the 2018 U.S. Men's National Team, along with members of the U.S. Men's National Team Advisory Group that includes Stan Bowman (Chicago Blackhawks), David Poile (Nashville Predators), Ray Shero (New Jersey Devils), Dale Tallon (Florida Panthers), and Jeff Gorton (New York Rangers). USA Hockey's international council, chaired by Gavin Regan (Potsdam, N.Y.), has oversight responsibilities for all U.S. national teams.

ROSTER SPOTLIGHT: FIVE USHL, NAHL CHAMPIONS ON TEAM USA
While the USHL's Clark Cup Final and NAHL's Robertson Cup Final are set to begin this Friday, five members of Team USA were part of championship-winning clubs in USA Hockey'sjunior hockey leagues.
     Four players claimed a USHL Clark Cup championship, including Johnny Gaudreau (Dubuque Fighting Saints, 2011), Alec Martinez (Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, 2005) and 2010 Clark Cup Championship teammates Anders Lee and Nick Jensen. Additionally, Keith Kinkaid won the NAHL's 2009Robertson Cup with the St. Louis Bandits.
    The USHL’s Clark Cup will come down to a best-of-five championship series starting Friday and continuing as longas May 23, if necessary. The NAHL’s Robertson Cup takes the four divisional champions to Fogerty Ice Arena in Blaine, Minn., Friday through Monday for two best-of-three semifinal series and a one-game championship game on the final day.