GOTHENBURG, Sweden – The U.S. National Junior Team opens play in the 2024 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship here today against Norway in the first of its four preliminary round games. Opening faceoff is set for 5 p.m. local/11 a.m. ET and the game can be seen live on NHL Network.

The 10 teams in the World Juniors are split into two groups with Team USA joining Norway, Switzerland, Czechia and Slovakia in Group B and playing its preliminary round games at Frolundaborg. Across town, Group A – which includes Canada, Germany, Finland, Latvia and Sweden – will contest its preliminary round games at Scandinavium. Both venues will host quarterfinal games while Scandinavium will stage the semifinal and medal games.

U.S. head coach David Carle said preparations for the team have gone well.

“Our group is continuing to build and I like the progress we’ve made,” said Carle, who is also the head coach at the University of Denver. “Our camp and two exhibition games were certainly helpful in getting ready for the tournament and we’ll be ready to go against Norway.”

The U.S. and Norway meet today for just the seventh time ever in the World Juniors, with Team USA having won five of the first six meetings. The teams last met in the 2006 tournament, with the U.S. earning an 11-2 victory.

Rutger McGroarty (Lincoln, Neb./University of Michigan) is serving as Team USA captain, while forwards Gavin Brindley (Estero, Fla./University of Michigan) and Cutter Gauthier (Scottsdale, Ariz./Boston College), and defensemen Lane Hutson (North Barrington, Ill./Boston University) and Ryan Chesley (Mahtomedi, Minn./University of Minnesota) are alternate captains.

The U.S. roster includes eight players who were part of the U.S. National Junior Team a year ago and 23 NHL draft picks, including 10 first-rounders.

The U.S. journey started with a selection camp at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Mich., from Dec. 13-16 where a group of 29 candidates for the team was narrowed to the final 25-player roster. The U.S. arrived in Sweden on Dec. 17, and along with daily practices, played exhibition games against Sweden and Canada to get ready for the tournament.