Team USA, fresh off a 7-1 victory over France yesterday, returns to the ice today to take on Finland in the third of seven preliminary round games for both teams in the 2019 IIHF Men’s World Championship. Opening faceoff is set for 4:15 p.m. local time (10:15 a.m. ET) from Steel Arena in Kosice, Slovakia. The game can be seen live on NHL Network in the U.S.
The U.S. and Finland have been regular foes in the world championship with today’s game marking the 63rd meeting in this tournament all-time. Finland has an overall 30-1-2-22-8 advantage (w-otw-otl-l-t) in the series and has won the last three games between the two countries. Finland stopped Team USA’s hopes of an unbeaten record in the preliminary round of last season’s world championship with a 6-2 win over the U.S. in the final preliminary round game for both teams.
Team USA will look to build off yesterday’s win over France where 12 different players recorded points, including six players with two-point efforts — Alex DeBrincat (2-0—2), Colin White (2-0—2), Patrick Kane (1-1—2), Frank Vatrano (1-1—2), Dylan Larkin (0-2—2) and Alec Martinez (0-2—2). Thatcher Demko made 23 saves on 24 shots in the U.S. net.
Today’s game will conclude the first of two “back-to-backs” for the U.S. in the world championship, with the other coming with games on consecutive days vs. Denmark and Germany on May 18 and May 19.
The contest will also feature the two players who most pundits believe will be the first and second taken in June’s NHL Draft in Team USA’s Jack Hughes and Finland’s Kaapo Kakko.
Team USA’s lineup will remain the same as yesterday. Coach Jeff Blashill had not named the starting goaltender at press time.
Date | Opponent/Round | Time (Local/ET)/Result | Location | Television | U.S. Player of the Game |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tues., May 7 | Germany Pre-Tournament |
W, 5-2 | SAP Arena Mannheim, Germany |
Live Stream | Johnny Gaudreau |
Fri., May 10 | Slovakia Preliminary |
L, 1-4 | Steel Arena Kosice, Slovakia |
NHL Network | Jack Eichel |
Sun., May 12 | France Preliminary |
W, 7-1 | Steel Arena Kosice, Slovakia |
NHL Network | Alex DeBrincat |
Mon., May 13 | Finland Preliminary |
OTW, 3-2 | Steel Arena Kosice, Slovakia |
NHL Network | Brady Skjei |
Wed., May 15 | Great Britain Preliminary |
W, 6-3 | Steel Arena Kosice, Slovakia |
NHL Network | Patrick Kane |
Sat., May 18 | Denmark Preliminary |
W, 7-1 | Steel Arena Kosice, Slovakia |
NHL Network | Dylan Larkin |
Sun., May 19 | Germany Preliminary |
W, 3-1 | Steel Arena Kosice, Slovakia |
NHL Network | Alec Martinez |
Tues., May 21 | Canada Preliminary |
L, 0-3 | Steel Arena Kosice, Slovakia |
NHL Network | Cory Schneider |
Thurs., May 23 | Russia Quarterfinal |
L, 3-4 | Ondrej Nepela Arena Bratislava, Slovakia |
NHL Network | Jack Hughes |