HALIFAX, Nova Scotia – The U.S. National Junior Team will face Canada tonight in the semifinals of the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship. Opening faceoff is set for 7:30 p.m. local/6:30 p.m. ET at the Scotiabank Centre, and the game will be broadcast live by NHL Network.

The game features the top five point-getters in the World Juniors to date with Team USA’s Logan Cooley, Jimmy Snuggerud and Cutter Gauthier, in addition to Canada’s Connor Bedard and Logan Stankoven.

The winner of tonight’s contest will play the winner of the first semifinal between Czechia and Sweden in tomorrow’s gold-medal game at 7:30 p.m. local/6:30 p.m. The losers will play in the bronze-medal contest at 3:30 p.m. local/2:30 p.m. ET.

Team USA is coming off a convincing 11-1 victory over Germany in the quarterfinal round of the tournament on Monday (Jan. 2) in Moncton, while Canada gained a 4-3 overtime victory over Slovakia in its semifinal on Monday in Halifax.

SEMIFINAL HISTORY

The U.S. has advanced to the semifinals of the World Junior Championship for the sixth time in the last eight years and 17th time overall. Overall, Team USA is 7-9 in semifinal play and has won three of its last four semifinal contests. The U.S. is 1-4 all-time against Canada in the semifinals.

SERIES HISTORY

The U.S. and Canada have played 48 previous times in the World Juniors and Canada has a 30-3-3-9-3 advantage. Team USA has won five of the last six games in the series.