skip navigation

Gameday: U.S. Kicks Off World Junior Championship Against Rival Canada

By USA Hockey, 12/26/19, 5:45AM EST

Share

U.S. Looks to Extend Winning Streak Over Canada

The U.S. (0-0-0-0) meets Canada (0-0-0-0) tonight in its first game of the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship. The U.S. is on a four-game win streak against Canada in the IIHF World Junior Championship, including back-to-back shootout wins. U.S. and Canada faced off outdoors in Buffalo, N.Y., during the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship, resulting in a 4-3 shootout win as Kieffer Bellows scored twice, and again in the shootout. The year prior, the U.S. beat Canada in a 5-4 shootout to win the gold medal, after defeating their rivals 3-1 in the preliminary round.

10 YEARS AGO

The 2010 U.S. National Junior Team compiled a 3-0-0-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record in preliminary play prior to winning a gold medal in Saskatoon, Canada. John Carlson scored the overtime-winning goal in the gold medal game to give USA a 6-5 win over Canada. Jack Campbell stepped into netminding duties in the second period, and went on to stop 32 of 34 shots. Derek Stepan, whose 15 points led the tournament, was named Team USA's Player of the Game.

COLLEGE HOCKEY

A total of 20 of the 23 players listed on the preliminary roster currently or previously played college hockey, including eight currently in the Big Ten Conference. University of Wisconsin leads all schools with four players: Cole Caufield, Ty Emberson, K'Andre Miller and Alex Turcotte.

FAMILIAR FACES

All total, 12 players on the U.S. National Junior Team roster previously played for USA Hockey's National Team Development Program in Plymouth, Mich., at USA Hockey Arena, including John Beecher (2017-19), Cole Caufield (2017-19), Ty Emberson (2016-18), Spencer Knight (2017-19), K'Andre Miller (2016-18), Jacob Pivonka (2016-18), Mattias Samuelsson (2016-18), Spencer Stastney (2016-18), Alex Turcotte (2017-19), Oliver Wahlstrom (2016-18), Cam York (2017-19) and Trevor Zegras (2017-19).

RECORD SETTERS

The U.S. National Junior Team features three record-setting NTDP players: a forward, defenseman and goaltender. Cole Caufield set the NTDP goal-scoring records for single season (72) in 2018-19 and career (126), 2017-19. Previous record holders were Auston Matthews (55) and Phil Kessel (104). Caufield is third all-time at the NTDP with 180 points. At the 2019 Under-18 Men's World Championship, Caufield tied Alex Ovechkin's tournament record for most goals in single tournament (14). Cam York owns the NTDP record for points by a defenseman in a single season (65 in 2018-19) and is second all-time at the NTDP in career points by a defensemen (103), 2017-19. Additionally, York set all-time marks at the Under-18 Men's World Championship including career points by a defenseman (17) and career assists by a defenseman (13). Spencer Knight set the NTDP record for most wins in a career by a goaltender (59), and was T-1st for most wins in a single season (32) after his 2018-19 campaign.

TIDBITS

Defensemen Mattias Samuelsson is serving as captain of the 2020 U.S. National Junior Team, while defensemen K'Andre Miller and forward Oliver Wahlstrom are the team's alternate captains ... The U.S. played two pre-tournament games. On Dec. 22, Team USA rallied from a 3-0 deficit on its way to a 6-4 win over Sweden. Nick Robertson, who tallied twice, was among five U.S. goal scorers. The next day (Dec. 23), behind four goals from Cole Caufield, the U.S. gained a 7-1 victory over Germany .. The United States enters the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship having won its last 12 tournament-opening games, a stretch that dates back to the 2007 event in Mora and Leksand, Sweden.


U.S. Roster

Sights and Sounds

Daily Notebook


U.S. Tournament Schedule

Date Opponent Location TIME (LOCAL/ET)/RESULT Broadcast U.S. Player of the Game
Thurs., Dec. 26 Canada
Preliminary
Ostravar Arena L, 4-6 NHL Network Shane Pinto
Fri., Dec. 27 Germany
Preliminary
Ostravar Arena W, 6-3 NHL Network Trevor Zegras
Sun., Dec. 29 Russia
Preliminary
Ostravar Arena W, 3-1 NHL Network Spencer Knight
Mon., Dec. 30 Czech Republic
Preliminary
Ostravar Arena OTW, 4-3 NHL Network Cole Caufield
Thurs., Jan. 2 Finland
Quarterfinal
Werk Arena L, 0-1 NHL Network Spencer Knight

2020 IIHF Homepage

World Juniors History


More World Juniors News

2024 World Junior team celebrates with the gold medal trophy