Team USA opens its 2022 IIHF Women’s World Championship campaign with a preliminary-round meeting with Japan on Thursday. Puck drop is set for 3 p.m. local time and 9 a.m. ET and can be viewed live on NHL Network.
Today's matchup against Japan marks the first of four preliminary-round games for Team USA and is the first time since the 2022 Olympic Gold Medal Game that the U.S. Women's National Team will take the ice for international competition. Team USA is 19-1 in the opening preliminary- round game at Women's World Championships, with the lone loss coming to Canada in 2013 (2-3, SO).
Team USA boasts a perfect 3-0 record against Japan at the world championship. Most recently, the U.S. topped Japan 10-2 in the quarterfinals at the 2021 tournament.
Aug. 28, 2021: W, 10-2 (Quarterfinals)
April 11, 2019: W, 4-8 (Quarterfinals)
April 4, 2009: W, 8-0 (Preliminary Round)
The U.S. last met Team Japan during the quarterfinal round of the 2021 IIHF Women's World Championship, winning 10-2. 14 different players tallied points, as Hilary Knight broke the all-time American points record during the game.
The 23-player 2022 U.S. Women's National Team was selected following the 2022 USA Hockey Women's National Festival, a week-long tryout camp that hosted 76 of the top over-18 players in the country. The festival was held Aug. 8-13 in Buffalo, N.Y.