TAMPERE, Finland – The U.S. Men’s National Team opens play in the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championship here Friday (May 12) against host Finland in what is the first of seven preliminary round games in the tournament. Opening faceoff is set for 4:20 p.m. local/9:20 a.m. ET at Nokia Arena. All U.S. games in the world championship can be seen live in the U.S. on NHL Network.

Team USA is in Group A, which includes Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary and Sweden. Group B preliminary round play takes place in Riga, Latvia, and features Canada, Czechia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland. Two quarterfinal games will be played in each city with the semifinals and medal games contested in Tampere.

Team USA had a short training camp in Munich, Germany, beginning May 6, which concluded with the squads’ lone pre-tournament game, a 6-3 victory over Germany on May 9. The U.S.  moved to Tampere and practiced here earlier today (May 11).

“We’re looking forward to the world championship,” said David Quinn, who is guiding the U.S. Men’s National Team for the second straight year and is also the head coach of the NHL’s San Jose Sharks. “Tampere was a great host last year and we’re excited to be back here. We know we’ll have our hands full against Finland. They’re an excellent team.”

The U.S. and Finland will meet for the 68th time in world championship history. Team USA has won 24 of those contests, while Finland has been victorious 35 times. There have been eight ties. The two teams met twice in last year’s world championship with Finland winning both contests.

Team USA returns two players from its 2022 U.S. Men’s National Team in forwards Sean Farrell and T.J. Tynan. The U.S. roster is highlighted Nick Bonino, who has helped the Pittsburgh Penguins to a pair of Stanley Cup titles and Alex Tuch, who recorded 36 goals and 73 points in 2022-23 for the Buffalo Sabres. Three Olympians also populate the U.S. roster including goaltender Drew Commesso, Farrell and defenseman Nick Perbix. Joining Commesso among Team USA’s three netminders are Casey DeSmith and Cal Petersen.

Team USA has finished in the top four of the world championship six times in the last nine years and has four bronze medals to its credit during that stretch.