OSTRAVA, Czech Republic – The United States takes on Germany in its second preliminary game of the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championships tonight at 7 p.m. local time/1 p.m. ET. Team USA is 0-0-0-1 in this year’s tournament, while Germany is set to make its 2020 World Junior Championship debut.
Today’s Opponent: Germany
The U.S. National Junior Team won 7-1 over Germany in its second and final pre-tournament game in preparation for the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship. Cole Caufield (Stevens Point, Wis.) led USA with four goals, including the eventual game-winner.
Team USA and Germany last met in the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship, with the U.S. coming out on top 6-0 in the preliminary round. In the last five meetings between the two teams, the United States is 5-0-0-0, outscoring Germany 34-2. All-time, the U.S. is 10-0-1-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L-T) in the series versus Germany. The U.S. has only faced Germany in preliminary rounds.
Team USA at the World Juniors
Entering the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship, the U.S. holds an all-time event record of 140-9-6-116-11 (W-OTW-OTL- L-T) and has earned 12 podium finishes, including four gold medals (2004, 2010, 2013, 2017), two silver medals (1997, 2019) and six bronze medals (1986, 1992, 2007, 2011, 2016, 2018). The U.S. has medaled in seven of the last ten years, including the last four years (gold - 2017; silver - 2019; bronze - 2018, 2016), the first time it has accomplished the feat in U.S. history. Additionally, Team USA's three gold medals since 2010 (2010, 2013, 2017) are tied with Finland for the most of any nation.
In each of the last four IIHF World Junior Championships, a U.S. player has earned Media All-Star Team honors, including Ryan Poehling (2019), Casey Mittelstadt and Kieffer Bellows (2018), Clayton Keller and Charlie McAvoy (2017), and Auston Matthews and Zach Werenski (2016). Poehling (Forward), Mittelstadt (Forward) and Werenski (Defense) were also tabbed with Directorate Awards.
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 |