EDMONTON, Alberta – Team USA (3-0-0-0) plays its final game prior to the elimination round at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship tonight at Rogers Place, squaring off against Sweden (2-0-0-0) at 10:00 p.m. ET on NHL Network.
Team USA and Sweden finds themselves in the preliminary round finale at Rogers Place again, just like at the 2021 World Junior Championship. Behind a 27-save performance from Spencer Knight, and a goal and two assists from Trevor Zegras, the U.S. earned a 4-0 victory over Sweden, earning the first-place seed in Group B.
With a regulation win, the U.S. can become the fourth U.S. National Junior Team to win all its preliminary round games in 60 minutes (2017, 2008, 2004). With any style of win, the U.S. can become the sixth team since 2000 to go unbeaten (2011 and 2002). The U.S. can lock up the top spot in Group B with a win over Sweden.
Sweden is one of three teams at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship the U.S. National Junior Team doesn’t have a winning record against, with a 14-1-1-16-2 (W-OTW-OTL-L-T) series record. The U.S., however, have come out on top in 13 of its last 17 matchups, in addition to one tie. In that span, the U.S. has outscored Sweden 64-35. The two teams have met in four medal games (one gold-medal game and three bronze-medal games) with the U.S. taking all four, including the most recent bronze-medal win at the 2016 tournament. Sweden has taken home 19 medals and has the most silver medals amongst the teams participating at this year’s tournament. Since its first matchup in 1976, where the U.S. topped Sweden, 8-5, Sweden has outscored the U.S. 126-118.